Joseph Woodrow Hatchett United States Courthouse and Federal Building

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

While the tragic loss of 19 precious children and 2 teachers in Uvalde, Texas, and the disgusting racially motivated slaughter in Buffalo, New York, captured the Nation's attention, we know that gun violence survivors and their allies across our country have been working every day to prevent the gun violence that kills 30 people every day and over 100 when you factor in accidents and suicides.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passes three important tests. It is legal, it has the votes, and it saves lives. This bill saves lives by targeting convicted domestic abusers and felons coercing someone to illegally purchase a gun for them. This bill saves lives by strengthening school safety and mental health resources.

This bill and the millions of gun violence victims and gun violence survivors deserve a ``yes'' vote today from every Member in this Chamber. A majority of Americans and responsible gun owners know this bill is important.

Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to vote ``yes.''

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Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, the Congresswoman from Michigan, Debbie Dingell, is correct. It is the intent that the Department of Justice promulgate regulations to govern the application of Section 12005, including defining the terms `serious,' `continuing,' `recent,' and `recently.' It is the intent that this law capture dating relationships in the way they happen in the lives of victims of dating violence.

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Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I associate myself with the comments of my esteemed colleague from Michigan. Under California law, `dating relationship' means frequent, intimate associations primarily characterized by the expectation of affectional or sexual involvement independent of financial considerations. Similar to the law in Michigan, the law in California very clearly parallels the definition of `dating relationship' in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and it is my intent and understand in voting for this bill that a conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence against a dating partner under California law is sufficient to trigger the expanded dating violence prohibitor.

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