Joseph Woodrow Hatchett United States Courthouse and Federal Building

Floor Speech

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Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Speaker, today has been a tough day as we watch an extremist and politicized Supreme Court roll back protections Americans have relied on for decades. But there is good news coming out of Congress. We have come together to pass the most comprehensive gun safety package in almost three decades.

In New Jersey, we have already passed a large number of these proposals, including extreme risk protections, assault weapons safeguards, and high-capacity magazine prohibitions, and we have seen the results.

New Jersey has made major progress in combating gun violence. As of 2020, my State has the third lowest level of firearm mortality, according to the CDC. Think about that. The most densely populated State in the Nation has one of the lowest levels of gun violence in the Nation. As the rate of gun deaths has increased by 33 percent nationwide, in New Jersey, it actually fell by 10 percent.

Of course, as a mother, I am focused on keeping our kids safe. This law would have prevented the shooter in Uvalde from getting a firearm without an enhanced background check.

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Ms. SHERRILL. This law gives States the support they need to act when a mom worries that her child is contemplating suicide.

It is why everyone from the American Society of Pediatrics to the Fraternal Order of Police has endorsed this bipartisan bill.

It is time for my Republican colleagues to put our Nation's kids ahead of the gun lobby.

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