Gallego Votes to Protect Americans from Gun Violence
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07) voted today to support the historic Protecting Our Kids Act, a package of gun safety bills that seek to curb America’s gun violence epidemic.
“It is unconscionable that our nation has allowed the epidemic of gun violence to exist for this long. House Democrats will not wait around, and today we approved meaningful solutions to put an end to these shootings,” said Rep. Ruben Gallego. “Over the past month, America has experienced unspeakable tragedies in our Black and Latino communities. These mass shootings, suicides, and community gun violence must end. Today, the House took action, and I’m proud to stand with my colleagues to support commonsense legislation that will protect our children, families, and neighbors.”
Specifically, the Protecting Our Kids Act would:
- Raise the purchasing age for semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21 years old;
- Crack down on gun trafficking and straw purchases to get illegal guns off of our streets;
- Subject ghost gun purchases to background check and serial number requirements;
- Strengthen safe storage requirements to protect children from accidental shootings;
- Close the bump stock loophole to ban these deadly tools from civilian use;
- Outlaw high-capacity magazines, which are designed for killing en masse and have been the accessory of choice in the bloodiest mass shootings; and
- Require an annual report of demographic data of those deemed ineligible to purchase guns.
The House voted on the Protecting Our Kids Act following the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, which results in the deaths of nineteen students and two teachers.
In the days following the shooting, Rep. Gallego spoke extensively about the need for congressional action, as well as his experience safely handling weapons while in the Marine Corps.