Rep. Vargas Votes to Pass Critical Gun Violence Prevention Legislation
Rep. Vargas Votes to Pass Critical Gun Violence Prevention Legislation
The Protecting Our Kids Act passed the House following deadly mass shootings in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX
WASHINGTON, D.C (June 8, 2022) — Today, Congressmember Vargas voted to pass a life-saving piece of gun violence legislation, which will save lives and prevent tragedies like the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas.
“I’m proud to have voted for this landmark legislation that will protect Americans from further senseless tragedies. It’s past time for Congress to act and fulfill our duty of keeping our communities safe,” said Rep. Vargas. “As a father, I’m heartbroken over the Uvalde massacre. The loss of a child, especially in such a violent manner, is one no parent should ever suffer. Tragedies like Uvalde are preventable, and at a minimum, we need to raise the purchasing age for semi-automatic weapons, strengthen safe storage laws, and outlaw devices that make shootings more deadly. Democrats are committed to taking action to save our children’s lives. It’s time for Republicans to put people over profits and answer the call to deliver common sense gun legislation and protect our kids.”
The Protecting Our Kids Act will aid in the fight to end gun violence by:
- Raising the purchasing age for certain semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21 years old;
- Preventing gun trafficking by establishing new federal offenses for gun trafficking and for the use of “straw purchasers”;
- Closing the ghost gun loophole to reduce the circulation of untraceable firearms in our communities;
- Strengthening safe storage requirements;
- And outlawing bump stocks and high-capacity magazines for civilian use, as these make mass shootings more deadly.
The Protecting Our Kids Act will make America safer and protect our communities from gun violence. The bill will now go to the Senate for consideration. The full legislative text can be found here.
“Today, we took an important step forward to confront the rising tide of deadly mass shootings in our nation,” Rep. Vargas continued. “But there’s more we need to do to keep our communities and our children safe. Congress must use our power and renew the assault weapons ban bill and ensure these life-saving measures make it to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. It is our responsibility to protect our communities and children, and I will continue to work with my Congressional colleagues until we get the job done.”
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Vargas represents California’s 51st Congressional District which includes the southern portion of San Diego County, all of Imperial County and California’s entire U.S.-Mexico border. Vargas was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and is currently serving his fifth term in Congress. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee.