House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

On average, 116 Americans are killed in gun violence every day, and over 200 more are wounded. Gun violence kills five children killed each day and injures another 18. During the pandemic, firearms became the leading cause of death among children. Firearms kill Americans in several ways, being used in 79% of homicides, used in 53% of suicides, and killing at least 549 Americans—many under 5 years-old—in accidental shootings in 2021.
 
After 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton was shot and killed outside her high school, June, the month on which Hadiya should be celebrating her birthday, has been observed nationally as gun violence awareness month. The occasion is meant to bring awareness to the role gun violence plays in cutting many of our neighbors’ lives short and to encourage action to prevent future tragedies like the one that ended Hadiya’s life and the lives of other children across Pennsylvania. For this reason, I will be introducing a resolution designating June 2023 as gun violence awareness month in Pennsylvania.
 
Gun violence is a major issue impacting all parts of Pennsylvania. We in the legislature must do better to facilitate discussions between citizens and community leaders on how to make our neighborhoods safer for our children and all of our citizens. Please join me in bringing attention to the issue of gun violence this June by co-sponsoring this resolution.