A resolution expressing support for the designation of June 7 through June 9, 2019, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Weekend" and June 2019 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month".

III 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 217 Expressing support for the designation of June 7 through June 9, 2019, as ‘‘National Gun Violence Awareness Weekend’’ and June 2019 as ‘‘National Gun Violence Awareness Month’’. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MAY 21, 2019 Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. HARRIS, Ms. HIRONO, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MAR- KEY, Mr. MURPHY, Mrs. MURRAY, and Mr. VAN HOLLEN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judici- ary RESOLUTION Expressing support for the designation of June 7 through June 9, 2019, as ‘‘National Gun Violence Awareness Weekend’’ and June 2019 as ‘‘National Gun Violence Awareness Month’’. Whereas, each year in the United States, more than— (1) 36,000 individuals are killed and 100,000 indi- viduals are injured by gunfire; (2) 12,000 individuals are killed in homicides involv- ing firearms; (3) 22,000 individuals commit suicide by using fire- arms; and (4) 500 individuals are killed in unintentional shoot- ings; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:41 May 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR217.IS SR217 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •SRES 217 IS Whereas, since 1968, more individuals have died from guns in the United States than have died on the battlefields of all the wars in the history of the United States; Whereas, by 1 count, in 2018 in the United States, there were— (1) 340 mass shooting incidents in which not fewer than 4 people were killed or wounded by gunfire; and (2) 103 incidents in which a gun was fired in a school or college; Whereas gun violence typically escalates during the summer months; Whereas nearly 2,900 children and teens are killed by gun vi- olence every year; Whereas more than 6,300 people in the United States under the age of 25 die because of gun violence annually, in- cluding Hadiya Pendleton, who, in 2013, was killed at 15 years of age in Chicago while standing in a park; Whereas, on the first weekend of June 2019, to recognize the 22nd birthday of Hadiya Pendleton, people across the United States will recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Weekend and wear orange in tribute to— (1) Hadiya Pendleton and other victims of gun vio- lence; and (2) the loved ones of those victims; and Whereas June 2019 is an appropriate month to designate as ‘‘National Gun Violence Awareness Month’’: Now, there- fore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) supports— 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:41 May 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR217.IS SR217 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •SRES 217 IS (A) the designation of June 2019 as ‘‘Na- 1 tional Gun Violence Awareness Month’’ and the 2 goals and ideals of that month; and 3 (B) the designation of June 7 through 4 June 9, 2019, as ‘‘National Gun Violence 5 Awareness Weekend’’, in remembrance of the 6 victims of gun violence; and 7 (2) calls on the people of the United States 8 to— 9 (A) promote greater awareness of gun vio- 10 lence and gun safety; 11 (B) wear orange, the color that hunters 12 wear to show that they are not targets, on June 13 7 through June 9, 2019; 14 (C) concentrate heightened attention on 15 gun violence during the summer months, when 16 gun violence typically increases; and 17 (D) bring community members and leaders 18 together to discuss ways to make communities 19 safer. 20 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:41 May 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR217.IS SR217 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS