Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) called on Congress to do more to address preventable gun violence. He is a co-sponsor of several bills that have been introduced in Congress that would make common-sense changes to federal law to ensure safe, responsible gun ownership. (A list of those bills is linked here.)

“The majority of Americans are solidly behind these common-sense reforms that currently languish in Congress. They include a ban on so-called ghost guns that can be built and assembled with a 3-D printer — these guns are untraceable and completely unregulated — a ban on the purchase of assault weapons, and raising the age that someone can purchase a gun from 18 to 21,” said Rep. Scott Peters.

Pending legislation also includes regulations on bump stocks that allow a semi-automatic rifle to shoot up to 800 rounds a minute, effectively turning it into an automatic weapon.

“This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Gun violence hurts us all,” Rep. Peters added.

To highlight local efforts to address gun violence, Rep. Peters was joined by County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl, and Therese Hymer, president of San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention (SDGVP) -- which has played a key role in educating the community about the dangers of unregulated gun ownership -- as well as dozens of members SDGVP who attended to show their support.

“I’m fighting for stricter gun safety laws and expanding background checks and the use of red flag laws to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals, and I want to thank Congressman Scott Peters for all his work on these issues,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer, Vice Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. “We are doing everything we can on the ground in San Diego County to reduce threats of gun violence, but we need Congress to take action on the bills that would make common-sense changes to federal gun laws.”

“While deaths and injuries from gun violence continue to increase nationwide, San Diego took the lead to protect our families. By banning illegal, untraceable ghost guns, by enforcing our red flag law and obtaining gun violence restraining court orders to remove guns from dangerous people, I am proud as the City's Public Safety Committee Chairperson of the work we are doing to prevent gun violence,” said Councilmember Marni von Wilpert. “Americans are demanding action! Thanks to Representative Scott Peters for his leadership in passing the STANDUP Act to help prevent school shootings, and for keeping the pressure on in Congress to enact sensible gun violence prevention legislation.”

“Gun violence can devastate our communities and destroy our neighborhoods in an instant. Time and time again, we have seen how gun violence has no boundaries and it can impact each and every one of us,” said San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl. “Having responsible law in place that help law enforcement, particularly in a world where the proliferation of ghost guns, the ease of access to those weapons for those who wish to do us harm is critically important to public safety.”

“We thank our city, county, and state lawmakers for passing laws that protect us and lead to one of the lowest firearm mortality rates in the country,” said Therese Hymer, President of San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention.  “We call on Congress to follow San Diego and California’s lead and pass those common-sense laws that will reduce firearm mortality across the nation -- including a bump stock ban.”

June is Gun Violence Awareness Month and the anniversaries of both the Pulse Night Club and Mother Emanuel AME Church mass shootings. It’s also the second anniversary of the signing of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most consequential federal gun legislation package in decades that enacted a number of reforms but did not include provisions that most Americans support, like raising the minimum age to purchase a gun to 21 and banning assault weapons. The press conference also comes on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court, last week, striking down a federal ban on bump stocks, which turn semiautomatic rifles into weapons capable of firing 400 to 800 bullets per minute.

###