GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA
Richie has long been a supporter of stronger gun safety measures. Too often, our failure to implement stronger rules on guns has harmed the most vulnerable in our society. From Columbine High School, to Sandy Hook Elementary, to Parkland, FL, and Uvalde, TX, Richie grieves for the lives lost, and stands in solidarity with the families of the victims.
In 2018, hundreds of students from Pittsfield High School and Taconic High School walked out of their classrooms following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Afterward, Richie met with the students who organized the protest to thank them for their activism, hear their concerns, and collaborate on initiatives that he could bring back to his colleagues in Washington.
“As a father and grandfather, I don’t think parents should have to worry about the safety of their children when they drop them off at school in the morning.”
After meeting with the students, Richie renewed his call for the implementation of 10 common-sense gun safety measures, to curb this senseless violence.
Federal Assault Weapons Ban: assault weapons are made for battlefields, not our neighborhoods. Richie was proud to support the 1994 assault weapons ban and urges his colleagues to join him in supporting a new assault weapons ban.
Bump Stock Ban: the 2017 Las Vegas shooting was the deadliest mass-shooter attack in American history. Bump stocks, like the one that the Las Vegas shooter used to slaughter nearly 60 people, must be banned.
Universal Background Checks: a universal background check law would ensure that people prohibited from purchasing firearms cannot do so through an unregulated sale from an unlicensed or online seller or at a gun show. Closing this background check loophole is critical to making sure criminals and other dangerous people do not have access to firearms. It is also a policy supported by 90 percent of Americans.
Domestic Abusers Should Not Have Access To Guns: expand firearm prohibitions for domestic abusers to include dating partner abusers and convicted stalkers.
No Fly, No Buy: if an individual cannot get on a plane because of their status on the "No Fly List," then that person should not be able to purchase a gun.
Allow The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) To Fund Gun Violence Research: in order to effectively solve this public health crisis, our country must begin to fully understand it. Richie supports funding that allows the CDC to research gun safety measures. This research is critical for policymakers to understand and recommend effective solutions for making schools and communities safer.
Mental Health Background Checks: Richie supports changing the law to require states to report records of individuals prohibited to carry guns to the FBI’s background check system. This way, individuals deemed unsafe to carry firearms due to mental health reasons cannot purchase dangerous weapons through loopholes.
Do Not Arm School Teachers: recent polling has found that while 75 percent of individuals believe that Congress must do more to reduce gun violence, only 20 percent think giving educators guns is the answer. Our teachers need more funding for educational materials, curriculum support and school supplies to help our kids succeed.
Impose Minimum Age Requirement To Buy Guns: the minimum age to purchase all firearms in America must be 21 years old in all 50 states.
Pass The Bipartisan Thompson-King Public Safety And Second Amendment Rights Protection Act: this bill would give states resources to help them submit information to the background checks system. It would also expand the system to cover all commercial firearm sales, closing the gun show, internet, and classified-ad loopholes. It currently has over 200 Democratic and Republican co-sponsors, and Richie is proud to be one.
In Congress, Richie:
Voted YES on passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – the first significant gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. This legislation:
Improved the background check system by broadening the definition of licensed gun dealers.
Established enhanced background checks for buyers under age 21.
Addressed dating violence by partially closing the dating partner loophole.
Expanded community violence intervention programs.
Expanded access to mental health services.
Voted YES on making it easier to sue gun manufacturers for firearm deaths.
Voted NO on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse.
Voted NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1.
Earned an F rating from the NRA, for his pro-gun safety voting record.