Gun Reform: What Do Our Representatives in Washington Have to Say?
Another senseless tragedy. Another act of mass violence that involved a gun. More victims and loved ones yelling for someone to listen and do something to stop the next one. More people trying to protect their right to firearms. Wow, it’s frustrating. I’m truly sorry to the Parkland / Stoneman Douglas community for what you have been and are going through. I will not pretend to know what it’s like, and I sincerely hope that your voices and those speaking up with you can make a change in gun reform that prevents these tragedies in the future.
After this tragedy, we emailed both US Senators and all 27 US Representatives for Florida on February 15. Our email was meant to clearly identify the problem, and then be open-minded about the possible solutions that our representatives may present. If follow up questions were needed, we sent those, and we wanted to share the information with you. We would love to hear your comments, solutions that you would like to see implemented, and any additional questions that you would have for our representatives. I also want to thank Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Bill Nelson, and Rep Ted Deutch for participating in the CNN Town Hall about this tragedy. I thought this had some great discussion about what can be done and some of the complexities of the gun reform issue. If you missed it, you can watch it here: CNN Town Hall
Gun Reform Email to our Legislators
“In light of another tragedy in our country, we would like to get some information from our representatives in Washington. I am very frustrated with the seemingly binary options that we are being given to address this issue. It seems most people want a gun ban or want to arm everyone, and then others seem to pretend that no problem exists and life should continue as is and just hope for the best that we are not one of the next victims, I guess.
Gun Reform Responses:
So far most responses have been pretty much generic. They have not specifically addressed the 3 questions posed. We included key points of the responses, and any bills that we found the representatives attached to.
Sen. Marco Rubio: No response yet, but participated in CNN Town Hall
Sen. Bill Nelson: Responded, participated in CNN Town Hall, co-sponsored Assault Weapons Ban of 2017 (S2095), co-sponsored Keep Americans Safe Act (S1945), co-sponsored Background Check Expansion Act (S2009)
Rep. Matt Gaetz, 1st District: No response, co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Rep. Neal Dunn, 2nd District: Responded, supports armed guards at schools and strengthening security features at schools. Does not support banning semi-automatic weapons and does not support limiting magazine sizes.
Rep. Ted Yoho, 3rd District: No response
Rep. John Rutherford, 4th District: No response, sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Rep. Al Lawson, 5th District: No response, co-sponsor of Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (HR5087), co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Rep. Ron DeSantis, 6th District: No response
Rep. Stephanie Murphy, 7th District: Responded, sponsor of Gun Violence Research Act (HR1478), co-sponsor of Public Safety and 2nd Amendment Rights Protection Act (HR4240), co-sponsor of Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (HR5087), co-sponsor of Keep Americans Safe Act (HR4052), co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Rep. Bill Posey, 8th District: Responded co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909), empower local community to intervene when signs of mental illness
Rep. Darren Soto, 9th District: No response, co-sponsor of Gun Violence Research Act (HR1478), co-sponsor of Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (HR5087), co-sponsor of Keep Americans Safe Act (HR4052), co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Rep. Val Demings, 10th District: No response, co-sponsor of Gun Violence Research Act (HR1478), co-sponsor of Public Safety and 2nd Amendment Rights Protection Act (HR4240), co-sponsor of Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (HR5087), co-sponsor of Keep Americans Safe Act (HR4052)
Rep. Daniel Webster, 11th District: No response
Rep. Gus Bilirakis, 12th District: Responded; stressed need to get help for people with mental health issues, also pointed to mental health bill passed in 2016 that he co-sponsored (name or number not disclosed); co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Rep. Charlie Crist, 13th District: Responded, co-sponsor of Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (HR5087), supports universal background checks, no weapons for suspected terrorists, gun violence restraining order to allow law enforcement to confiscate weapons of dangerous individuals, ban high capacity magazines and devices like bump stocks, allow research on gun violence by the CDC, increasing security and counseling services for schools, and expand access to mental health care.
Rep. Kathy Castor, 14th District: No response, co-sponsor of Gun Violence Research Act (HR1478), co-sponsor of Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (HR5087), co-sponsor of Keep Americans Safe Act (HR4052)
Rep. Dennis Ross, 15th District: No response, co-sponsor of act that would prohibit bump stocks and similar devices (HR3999), co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Rep. Vern Buchanan, 16th District: No response; co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Rep. Thomas Rooney, 17th District: No response, co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Rep. Brian Mast, 18th District: Very thorough response; Supports assault or tactical firearm ban (definition of these to be determined), Background check on all gun purchases, banning bump stocks and similar accessories, ban gun purchases for mental health, Any possible terrorist cannot purchase firearms, anyone threatening violence against schools be placed on watch list, anyone with a Federal Firearms License receive training for behavior detection, many security enhancements for schools, hold FBI and state agencies responsible for failures in investigations, research into the link between gun violence, violence in media and mental illness, co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Rep. Francis Rooney, 19th District: No response
Rep. Alcee Hastings, 20th District: No response, co-sponsor of Gun Violence Research Act (HR1478), co-sponsor of Public Safety and 2nd Amendment Rights Protection Act (HR4240), co-sponsor of Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (HR5087), co-sponsor of Keep Americans Safe Act (HR4052)
Rep. Lois Frankel, 21st District: No response, co-sponsor of Gun Violence Research Act (HR1478), co-sponsor of Public Safety and 2nd Amendment Rights Protection Act (HR4240), co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909), co-sponsor of Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (HR5087), co-sponsor of Keep Americans Safe Act (HR4052)
Rep. Theodore (Ted) Deutch, 22nd District: No response yet, but participated in CNN Town Hall, co-sponsor of Gun Violence Research Act (HR1478), co-sponsor of Public Safety and 2nd Amendment Rights Protection Act (HR4240), co-sponsor STOP School Violence Act (HR4909), co-sponsor of Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (HR5087), co-sponsor of Keep Americans Safe Act (HR4052)
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, 23rd District: Responded, co-sponsor of Gun Violence Research Act (HR1478), co-sponsor of Public Safety and 2nd Amendment Rights Protection Act (HR4240), co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909), co-sponsor of Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (HR5087), co-sponsor of Keep Americans Safe Act (HR4052)
Rep. Frederica Wilson, 24th District: No response, co-sponsor of Gun Violence Research Act (HR1478), co-sponsor of Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (HR5087), co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, 25th District: Responded; co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909), co-sponsor of NICS Denial Notification Act (HR4471), co-sponsor of Securing Children in Schools Act of 2018 (HR5135)
Rep. Carlos Curbelo, 26th District: Responded; supports enforcement of laws on the books, better identification of those struggling with mental illness, co-sponsor of Gun Violence Research Act (HR1478), co-sponsor of Public Safety and 2nd Amendment Rights Protection Act (HR4240), sponsor of act that would prohibit bump stocks and similar devices (HR3999), co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Rep Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, 27th District: No response, co-sponsor of act that would prohibit bump stocks and similar devices (HR3999), co-sponsor of STOP School Violence Act (HR4909)
Gun Reform: What Are These Bills?
Here is a brief summary of each bill mentioned above. The full bill, summary, and co-sponsors can be found in the link with the bill number.
Gun Violence Research Act (HR1478) – Rep Curbelo states the bill “supports evidence-based research examining the causes of gun violence and methods to reduce gun-related fatalities.” The bill itself states “It is the sense of Congress that no limitations should be imposed on the authority of the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to sponsor evidence-based intramural and extramural research that examines the causes of gun violence and identifies methods to reduce gun-related fatalities and injuries, consistent with the Second Amendment to the Constitution and other constitutional protections.”
Public Safety and 2nd Amendment Rights Protection Act (HR4240) – Rep. Curbelo explained, “This bill expands the existing background check system to cover all commercial firearm sales, including those at gun shows, over the internet or in classified ads.”
STOP School Violence Act (HR4909) – Rep Posey summarized it as follows: “STOP School Violence Act…would provide training and support systems to school personnel, law enforcement and students in order to better understand the warning signs and improve reporting standards for when students or teachers observe troubling behavior. Additionally, H.R. 4909 would develop FBI-based school threat assessment teams to help schools process threat reports and intervene.”
Securing Children in Schools Act of 2018 (HR5135) – Provides “for additional grants for school security, and for other purposes.” including metal detectors and other screening technologies.
Prohibition of bump stocks and similar devices (HR3999) – “This bill amends the federal criminal code to prohibit certain conduct with respect to any part or combination of parts that is designed and functions to increase the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle but does not convert the semiautomatic rifle into a machine gun.”
NICS Denial Notification Act (HR4471) – Rep. Diaz-Balart stated the bill “would require gun sellers to automatically notify state and local law enforcement when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a gun.”
Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (HR5087) – “To regulate the importation, manufacture, possession, sale or transfer of assault weapons, and for other purposes.” This is a very long, detailed bill, so the complete information can be found in the HR5087 link above.
Assault Weapons Ban of 2017 (S2095) – Senate bill that “amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD).” The full bill is available at the link above.
Keep Americans Safe Act (S1945 & HR4052) – Senate and House bills which regulate “large capacity ammunition feeding devices.”
Background Check Expansion Act (S2009) – Senate bill “to require a background check for every firearm sale.”
Gun Reform: Where Do We Go From Here?
So we can see there are some pending bills that may address some of the issues. We are trying to get more information on the progress of these bills, and what is being done to move them forward by these representatives. We encourage you to contact your representatives about your positions on these issues. We would love to hear your ideas too. Also, what other questions would you like us to ask? Share your thoughts in the comments and follow us on Twitter to join the discussion.
Also, make sure to check out how you can support the efforts of Independent Florida here!
Greg Martin is a contributor for Independent Florida. He is independent, but tries to promote all 3rd parties. Outside of politics, Greg enjoys playing disc golf, kayaking, and hanging out anywhere with live music.
