Menendez, Booker, Colleagues Introduce Bicameral Safe Gun Storage Act

Press Release

18% of all firearm-related injuries in the U.S. occur because of high rate in improperly stored firearms in homes across the country

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-N.J.) today joined Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy (both D-Conn.), alongside 18 of their Senate Democratic colleagues, in introducing bicameral legislation that would direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish safety standards for firearms locks and firearm safes. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

"All too often, we hear stories about children who get hurt or killed because they or another child they were playing with got their hands on a gun that was unsafely and inadequately stored," said Sen. Menendez. "These incidents are highly preventable and that's why I'm proud to be introducing commonsense legislation with my colleagues that will establish better safety standards for storing firearms that will help keep children safe and save lives."

"The consequences of continued congressional inaction in passing commonsense gun safety laws are deadly, and lead to countless innocent lives being lost," said Sen. Booker. "This legislation is an important and sensible measure that will encourage safe gun storage and keep firearms out of the hands of children."

An estimated 4.6 million American minors live in a household with a firearm. According to a 2018 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health survey, 54 percent of gun owners report storing their firearms in an unsafe manner. Eighteen percent of all gun injuries in our nation occur because of this high rate of improperly stored firearms in homes.

In addition to Sens. Blumenthal and Murphy, lead sponsors of the bill, and Sens. Menendez and Booker, the Safe Gun Storage Act is also co-sponsored in the Senate by U.S. Sens Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Patty Murray (D-Wash.).

"Safe gun storage saves lives. Our bill directs CPSC to institute strong standards for firearm locks and safes, which will help responsible gun owners keep weapons out of the hands of children or people who pose a danger to themselves or others," said Sen. Blumenthal. "Basic safety standards would prevent hundreds of senseless, needless accidental shootings, suicides, and other gun deaths every year."

"Firearms in homes, especially homes with children, should be safely locked away. It's common sense. Legislation establishing federal safety standards is a simple step to ensure deadly accidents don't happen," said Sen. Murphy.

In addition to Rep. Jayapal, the legislation was also cosponsored in the House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), Jahanna Hayes (D-Conn.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Joseph Morelle (D-N.Y.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.), and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Penn.).

"At a tragic moment in which we lose 40,000 loved ones to gun violence every single year, we must do everything possible to stop this epidemic and save lives," said Rep. Jayapal. "As we work to pass universal background checks through the Senate and close deadly loopholes, we must follow Seattle's lead by finally establishing safety standards for firearm locks and safes. The Safe Gun Storage Act is not only popular, necessary, and common sense legislation but it will also save lives across America."

Both Sens. Menendez and Booker have long been advocates for implementing commonsense gun safety legislation that will help reduce the scourge of gun violence in America. Earlier this month, they both introduced legislation that would ban untraceable, undetectable guns that have become increasing popular among white supremacy groups. Last month, Sen. Menendez reintroduced bills, cosponsored by Sen. Booker, to outlaw gun silencers, which make it harder to detect gunfire, and the Keep Americans Safe Act to ban high-capacity magazines. And in March, both senators introduced legislation to put an end to the so-called "Tiahrt Amendments," which currently prevent the preservation and disclosure of gun records.

Sen. Menendez has also supported previous efforts to ban assault weapons and pass universal background checks, and voted for the original Assault Weapons Ban in 1994 as a member of the House of Representatives.