Pass Sensible Gun Laws in PA

“They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.” —Jeremiah 6:14

“National gun suicide and murder rates have recently returned to near-record highs. Three hundred U.S. residents are shot every day. Over 100 perish. Though public mass shootings account for a tiny fraction of criminal homicides, they have grave effects well beyond lost individuals. Guns are now the leading cause of death among individuals under 20. Within this population and others, persisting racial disparities of harm cry out for attention. Such disparities are visible daily on the National Gun Violence Memorial website at gunmemorial.org.” From the ELCA Social Message on Gun-Related Violence and Trauma

The time for sensible, bipartisan measures to combat gun deaths and violence is now. People of faith and others demand action from our lawmakers to stem the tide of deaths caused by guns, in our Commonwealth, and in our country. We must no longer cry for “peace” if we are unwilling to change our ways to achieve it.

Two bills passed the PA House this spring, and have been sitting without a hearing in the Senate. HB 714 and HB 1018 offer evidence-based measures to reduce gun deaths, both passing the House with bipartisan votes. (See how your House member voted by following the links to the bills.) Universal background checks and emergency removal protection orders (ERPO) (aka red flag laws) are supported by the vast majority of Americans, and have long been policies the ELCA has advocated for to promote peace and safety.

On June 21, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of laws such as HB 1018, with Chief Justice Roberts writing, "Since the founding, our nation’s firearm laws have included provisions preventing individuals who threaten physical harm to others from misusing firearms." ERPOs and other commonsense prevention measures should be heard and given a floor vote so these protections can be codified in Pennsylvania law.

Contact your Senator today! Urge their support for these bills and ask them to tell their leadership to move them out of committee! Fill out the form below. PLEASE INCLUDE A PERSONALIZED NOTE! IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

For ELCA Social Teachings around Gun Violence, see the Social Message on Gun-Related Violence and Trauma, Social Message on Suicide Prevention, Social Message on Community Violence, and the Social Statement on Peace.

Recipients

Your State Senator or Senators

Message

* Subject:

Dear [Decision Maker],

* Personalize your message

As a Lutheran and as your constituent, I urge you to take action today to protect our communities from the pain and trauma of gun violence.  Please support sensible legislation supported by a majority of Americans and Pennsylvanians; Universal background checks and emergency removal protection orders are achievable and proven measures to prevent unnecessary death and violence.

In addition to supporting these measures, please call upon Senate leadership to move these out of committee, so that they can be heard and voted on.

Gun violence takes the lives or injures 4,600 Pennsylvanians every year. There isn't a single community in the state that is unaffected by this epidemic. Please use your power and vote to change that.

HB 714 and HB 1018 passed the House with bipartisan support, but there have been no hearings even scheduled in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Please use your voice and power to make sure these bills are given a hearing and a vote, and then use your vote to pass them into law.

Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) allow family members to petition a judge to temporarily remove firearms from a loved one who may harm themselves or others. In other states, ERPOs have already been shown to reduce suicide and mass shootings. Tragedies such as the recent mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine could be prevented by ERPO's. The recent Supreme Court decision, US v. Rahimi, affirms the constitutionality of such provisions.

Closing the gap in our background checks system would require private, non-licensed sellers to run background checks on purchasers for long guns. This would prevent violent felons and other dangerous individuals from purchasing military-style rifles, the weapon of choice for mass shootings.

These two measures would do so much to protect Pennsylvanians and save precious lives. Please do all you can to ensure their passage.

Thank you for your work to ensure the safety and lives of Pennsylvanians. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]

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