Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1260, the Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2021 introduced by Representative Ruppersberger and fellow Energy and Commerce Committee member Kinzinger.

This important legislation would provide Federal grants to hospitals and trauma centers for intervention services to victims of violent crime.

Violence in America disproportionately impacts urban and underserved communities, where poor social determinants of health can contribute to structural violence.

Hospital-based intervention programs help reduce violence because they reach high-risk individuals recently admitted to a hospital for treatment of a serious violent injury. Hospitalization presents an opportunity when an individual may be open to help to break the cycle of violence by immediate intervention following the violent incident.

By supporting hospital-based violence intervention programs, this bill will connect at-risk individuals with local resources that address underlying risk factors for violence.

I thank Representatives Ruppersberger and Kinzinger for tackling this challenging issue and for putting forward a meaningful solution to help address violence in our communities.

Madam Speaker, it is important to break the cycle of violence. Having someone in a hospital setting who has just been a victim of violence is a great time to address that.

I think this is the right policy at the right time, and I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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