Dear John, It is past time for Congressional action to address the scourge of gun violence throughout our nation. It is a grave travesty that no matter where we go – from school, to church, to a store – we face the threat of violent and unpredictable mass shootings. I’d like to share with you the recent action I have taken in Congress to address access to guns in this country and reduce instances of gun violence. I voted YES for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act -- signed into law by President Biden last summer. This major legislation funds grants for a variety of community initiatives and provides for: A Community Mental Health Block Grant program for states to support tailored mental health services in their communities. The creation of 9-8-8, the first-ever suicide and crisis 24/7 hotline that anyone can access, regardless of location. $185.7 million in support of organizations focused on mental health training in schools, trauma counseling, and mental health literacy training for first responders. I urged courts to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. I joined Congressional colleagues in filing an amicus brief in United States v. Rahimi, which will be heard before the Supreme Court later this term. If the justices uphold the district court decision for this case, it will open the floodgates for past perpetrators of domestic abuse to gain access to firearms. I reintroduced the Gun Violence Prevention Research Act this Congress, which would authorize $50 million each fiscal year over the next five years to boost the CDC’s firearms safety and gun violence prevention research. This funding would uplift the ongoing research the CDC is conducting to understand the unique harms posed to young people, mitigate gun violence in the highest-risk communities, stop firearm suicides among military service members and veterans, and more. Recent tragic shootings in Alabama, Florida, and North Carolina remind us that our inaction is costly and devastating. I will continue to fight for common-sense gun reform so that gun violence no longer serves as our nation’s number one cause of preventable deaths. Seeing, hearing, or experiencing gun violence shakes all of us to the core – please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at (951) 222 - 0203. As always, please stay in touch about issues that concern you and your family. Sincerely, Mark Takano MEMBER OF CONGRESS ‌ ‌ ‌ Rep. Takano | 420 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]