Washington, D.C. — Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the following statement after a bipartisan group of senators introduced a package of bills to address America’s epidemic of gun violence:
“My daughters’ generation has grown up with a reasonable fear of being gunned down in a classroom, movie theater, or grocery store. With this bipartisan legislation, we are finally saying that we won’t accept that burden for our kids. Although we have much further to go, the Senate should move quickly to pass this common-sense, bipartisan legislation to strengthen background checks for young people, close the boyfriend loophole, invest in mental and behavioral health, and improve school safety.
“Passing this legislation will be a significant first step toward addressing gun violence in America.”
Bennet has advanced common-sense legislation to address gun violence and mental health. Recently, Bennet introduced the School Shooting Safety and Preparedness Act to help lawmakers gain a more accurate picture of gun violence in and around school campuses. The package also includes $150 million in one-time funding to strengthen the 9-8-8 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL), a national network of crisis centers linked through a 24/7 toll-free number that connects callers to immediate crisis care with trained counselors. This aligns with Bennet’s Suicide and Crisis Outreach Prevention Enhancement Act, which he introduced with U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) in July 2021. Bennet was a co-sponsor of the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act to create the 9-8-8 NSPL, which was signed into law in 2020.
Following the shooting at a King Soopers in Boulder last year that left 10 Coloradans dead, Bennet spoke on the Senate floor to remember the victims’ lives and call for action to reduce gun violence.