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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 8, 2019 02:59 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Art Haywood |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Gun Violence Awareness Day Resolution |
| In the near future, I will introduce a resolution recognizing 7 June 2019 as “Gun Violence Awareness Day” in Pennsylvania. This June 7th, I ask us all to shine a light on gun violence as a major public health issue in our communities. On average, we lose 100 Americans to gun violence every day-more deaths than those suffered at Parkland, Santa Fe and Las Vegas combined. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Pennsylvania experienced the 4th highest number of gun deaths in the country in the first decade of the 21st century. With every passing day, our Commonwealth continues to suffer unrelenting grief and trauma as gun violence senselessly claims the lives of our neighbors, friends and family members. The facts are clear – gun violence inflicts harm and heartbreak in both rural and urban communities. More than 60% of Americans killed with a gun die by suicide. Self-injury by firearm is uniquely tragic; suicide attempts by firearm end fatally 91% of the time, higher than all other methods. Americans are also 25 times more likely to die as a result of gun violence than citizens from all other industrialized nations. In 2016 alone, 1,485 Pennsylvanians died from homicides, suicides, and accidental discharges. In addition, the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence points out that women who are victims of domestic violence are at greater risk of serious injury when guns are readily accessible to their abusers. Gun violence is real, and we 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. Increased awareness of this vexing epidemic will allow us to start a constructive conversation on addressing it, prevent needless harm and injury, and make Pennsylvania a safer, more prosperous land for everyone. Please join me in co-sponsoring this resolution. |
Introduced as SR151