Washington – U.S. Rep. John Katko (NY-24) issued the following statement on the U.S. Senate’s consideration of legislation to combat gun violence:
“Last night, the Senate began consideration of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a package that includes commonsense firearm safety provisions, as well as significant investments in our nation’s mental health infrastructure and the safety of our schools. This legislation has already received the backing of Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and over a dozen other Republicans, demonstrating the strong bipartisan support that these policies have in communities across the country.
“Following the recent tragedies in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas, I said that Congress must develop a thoughtful and substantive response. It is my strong belief that this legislation represents a consensus approach to addressing these senseless and depraved acts of violence, and I fully intend to support this measure when it comes to the House floor. As co-chair of the bipartisan House Mental Health Caucus, I am pleased that this legislation makes substantive investments in our nation’s mental health system, including policies I have long advocated for to bolster the availability of services in our schools. Additionally, as a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, I believe that this legislation takes important steps to promote public safety, while also safeguarding the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans. Specifically, I have consistently called for the protection of due process rights in any federal program that supports state-level extreme risk protection orders, and this legislation takes necessary steps to ensure such safeguards are in place.
“In recent days, I have been honored to have the opportunity to discuss many of these priorities with my Republican and Democrat colleagues in the Senate, and I applaud their work to deliver sensible and bipartisan legislation that will make a real difference in protecting communities in Central New York and across the country. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act sends a clear message that Congress can work together to keep Americans safe, and I look forward to doing my part to help send it to the President’s desk.”
