June 2, 2025
Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Booker, Mr. Welch, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Markey, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Heinrich, Ms. Alsobrooks, and Ms. Klobuchar) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
Expressing support for the designation of June 6, 2025, as National Gun Violence Awareness Day
and June 2025 as National Gun Violence Awareness Month
.
Whereas, each year in the United States—
(1)
nearly 46,000 individuals are killed and nearly 97,000 individuals are wounded by gunfire;
(2)
more than 19,000 individuals are killed in homicides involving guns;
(3)
nearly 26,000 individuals die by suicide using a gun; and
(4)
more than 500 individuals are killed in unintentional shootings;
Whereas, since 1968, more individuals have died from guns in the United States than have died on the battlefields of all the wars in the history of the United States;
Whereas 2024 was a deadly year for the United States, with an estimated 16,700 people killed in gun homicides or nonsuicide-related shootings;
Whereas, in 2024, more than 360 people were unintentionally shot by a child under 18;
Whereas, by 1 count, in 2024, there were 503 mass shooting incidents in the United States in which at least 4 people were killed or wounded by gunfire;
Whereas nationwide, more than 87,000 military veterans died by gun suicide from 2003 to 2022;
Whereas, every year in the United States, more than 4,300 children and teens are killed by gun violence and more than 17,000 children and teens are shot and wounded;
Whereas more than 15,000 people in the United States under the age of 30 die because of gun violence annually, including Hadiya Pendleton, who, in 2013, was killed at 15 years of age in Chicago, Illinois, while standing in a park;
Whereas, on June 6, 2025, to recognize the 28th birthday of Hadiya Pendleton (born June 2, 1997), people across the United States will recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day and wear orange in tribute to—
(1)
Hadiya Pendleton and other victims of gun violence; and
(2)
the loved ones of those victims; and
Whereas June 2025 is an appropriate month to designate as National Gun Violence Awareness Month
: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
(1)
supports—
(A)
the designation of National Gun Violence Awareness Month
and the goals and ideals of that month; and
(B)
the designation of National Gun Violence Awareness Day
in remembrance of the victims of gun violence; and
(2)
calls on the people of the United States—
(A)
to promote greater awareness of gun violence and gun safety;
(B)
to wear orange, the color that hunters wear to show that they are not targets, on National Gun Violence Awareness Day;
(C)
to concentrate heightened attention on gun violence during the summer months, when gun violence typically increases; and
(D)
to bring community members and leaders together to discuss ways to make communities safer.