Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO

District 20 (Union)

SYNOPSIS

Urges President and Congress of US to declare gun violence national emergency.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

An Assembly Resolution urging the President and the Congress of the United States to declare gun violence a national emergency.

Whereas, Gun violence is a leading cause of premature death in the United States; and

Whereas, There were 39,773 gun deaths in the United States in 2017, up by more than 1,000 from the year before; and

Whereas, United States citizens are dying each year due to gun violence in public schools, movie theaters, workplaces, houses of worship nightclubs, college campuses, athletic events, and concerts; and

Whereas, Gun violence costs the United States an estimated $229 billion annually; and

Whereas, The United States has the highest rate of gun ownership in the world and there are more guns than people in this country; and

Whereas, The American Medical Association adopted a policy in 2016 calling gun violence in the United States a "public health crisis" requiring a comprehensive public health response and solution; and

Whereas, The United States should renew its emphasis on improving gun injury and gun violence research in order to reduce the damage caused by gun violence and expand access to mental health services; and

Whereas, In the past, Congress has prohibited the use of federal funds for this research by passing the Dickey Amendment; however, Congress should repeal the Dickey Amendment and fund research on gun violence to help reduce the damage caused by gun violence; and

Whereas, If Congress fails to fund research on gun violence, the President should declare a national emergency in order to fund research on gun violence; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. This House urges the President and the Congress of the United States to declare gun violence a national emergency.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives, and each member of the United States Congress elected from this State.

STATEMENT

This resolution urges the President and the Congress of the United States to declare gun violence a national emergency. Thousands of American citizens are dying each year due to gun violence in public schools, movie theaters, workplaces, houses of worship, nightclubs, college campuses, athletic events, and concerts. The American Medical Association adopted a policy in 2016 calling gun violence in the United States a "public health crisis" requiring a comprehensive public health response and solution. It is necessary for the federal government to fund research on gun violence to reduce the damage caused by gun violence.