03.23.18

Safety Provisions ‘Will Be Effective And Save Lives’

Omnibus Legislation ‘Delivers For Students And Teachers’ By Including Fix NICS And STOP School Violence Act

 

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “The [omnibus] legislation also delivers for students and teachers across our nation, who deserve to learn and work without fear of violence. At the insistence of the Speaker and myself, this bill will include two important, bipartisan, commonsense measures to address real issues facing the nation: the Fix NICS bill and the STOP School Violence Act.” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 3/22/2018)

Parkland Victim Families Letter: “We are the families of the victims killed in the tragedy in Parkland, FL on February 14, 2018. We strongly urge you to support the inclusion of the STOP School Violence Act and the Fix NICS ACT in the upcoming Omnibus spending bill to be debated and ultimately voted on in both chambers.” (Letter to Speaker Ryan, Rep. Pelosi, and Sens. McConnell and Schumer, 3/19/2018)

National Shooting Sports Foundation: “‘The legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump is a true achievement to making communities safer while respecting individual rights,’ said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president for government and public affairs and general counsel. ‘This law will enable the FBI’s background check system to work as intended, a longstanding goal for the firearms industry, as well as providing resources to states to improve mental health and intervention services critical to enabling authorities to proactively address potential threats in their communities.’” (National Shooting Sports Foundation, Press Release, 3/23/2018)

Fix NICS, ‘A Bipartisan Proposal To Boost Compliance With The National Instant Criminal Background Check System’

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): “The calls from the American people to address gun violence in our schools and communities have been deafening, and I’m grateful we’ll soon get that chance… Fixing the background check system will help save lives and reduce the likelihood of what occurred in Parkland and Sutherland Springs from happening again.” (“After Mass Shootings, Congress Likely To Approve Cornyn's Background Check Bill In Budget Deal,” The Dallas Morning News, 3/21/2018)

The omnibus bill “includes legislation known as the Fix NICS Act that uses a combination of incentives and punishments to prod federal agencies and the military to upload records into the background-check system for purchasing guns. Republicans insisted on including the bipartisan bill in the … omnibus appropriations bill …” (The Atlantic, 3/22/2018)

Parkland Victim Families Letter: “The Fix NICS Act is desperately needed to improve compliance with firearms purchasing background check systems which are already in place. These are systems that all US citizens rely on to keep firearms away from those that should not be allowed to purchase them.” (Letter to Speaker Ryan, Rep. Pelosi, and Sens. McConnell and Schumer, 3/19/2018)

Organizations supporting Fix NICS legislation include:

  • Sandy Hook Promise
  • National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  • National Shooting Sports Foundation
  • Fraternal Order of Police
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline
  • National Sheriff’s Association

 

The STOP School Violence Act ‘Will Make Schools Safer’

SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R-UT): “First, the [STOP School Violence Act] will provide grants to be used for evidence-based training to prevent student violence against others and self, including training for local law enforcement officers, school personnel, and students…. Second, the bill will fund evidence-based technology and equipment to improve school security and prevent school violence…. Third, the bill will provide funding for the development and operation of evidence-based school threat assessment and crisis intervention teams … Fourth, the bill will authorize funding for continued coordination with local law enforcement. These four initiatives do not operate in isolation, but together are a comprehensive approach to improving school security and reducing student violence.  Training students and teachers to identify and report warning signs is critical to stopping acts of school violence before they happen.” (Sen. Hatch, Press Release, 3/06/2018)

Parkland Victim Families Letter: “This Act will make schools safer by funding the creation of and providing training for Threat Assessment Teams (TATs), teachers and students. It also includes security measures and provides for the creation of anonymous reporting systems. All of which will help make schools safer.” (Letter to Speaker Ryan, Rep. Pelosi, and Sens. McConnell and Schumer, 3/19/2018)

Organizations supporting the STOP School Violence Act include:

  • American Mental Health Counselors Association
  • American Psychiatric Association
  • American Psychoanalytic Association
  • Clinical Social Work Association
  • County Executives of America
  • Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
  • Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association
  • Fraternal Order of Police
  • Major County Sheriffs’ Association
  • Mental Health America
  • National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness
  • National Association for Children’s Behavioral Health
  • National Association of Social Workers
  • National Association of State Fire Marshals
  • National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
  • National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health
  • National Shooting Sports Foundation
  • Partner Alliance for Safer Schools
  • Safe and Sound Schools
  • Sandy Hook Promise
  • School Social WORK Association of America
  • Secure Schools Alliance
  • The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health
  • The National Council for Behavioral Health

 

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SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

Related Issues: Law Enforcement, Education