Let’s End Gun Violence

Here is a copy of the letter we will send to your lawmakers:

As your constituent, I’m asking the Senate to swiftly pass the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, committing at least $5 billion over the next 8 years to life-saving community gun violence prevention programs in our State, and across the country.

Community-level firearm violence in the USA disproportionately impacts communities of color. Firearm homicide was the leading cause of death for black men and boys aged 15-34 in 2018, and it was the third leading cause of death for Latino men and boys in the same age range. The flood of gun sales in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to make the pandemic of gun violence even worse.

Research indicates that long-term, adequately funded, evidence-based projects tailored towards specific social, economic, and cultural contexts, and working in partnership with the affected communities, can achieve sustained reductions in firearm violence. The Senate needs to finish the job Congress started, by supporting and prioritizing programs working to address this urgent human rights and public health crisis.

These programs save lives and make our communities safer and stronger. That is why I support the Break the Cycle of Violence Act as an important step toward addressing this urgent public health and human rights crisis. The Break the Cycle of Violence Act would fund these critical, evidence-driven programs led by community members that are proven to be effective at preventing gun violence.

Persistent gun violence in the United States is denying people their civil and political rights including their right to live, the right to security of person, and the right to be free from discrimination. Gun violence also undermines the enjoyment of economic, social, and cultural rights, including the right to health and the right to education.

In addition to the unimaginable human toll of gun violence across the country, the economic cost is stunning. Estimates place the annual cost of gun violence at hundreds of billions of dollars every year, including medical and criminal justice expenses. Accordingly, it is not only in the interest of our fundamental human rights but also your constituents as taxpayers, to robustly fund these programs. 

You can make a difference on the crisis of gun violence. As your constituent, I am asking for you to support the Break the Cycle of Violence Act without delay!

Kind regards,