Garamendi Joins President Biden at the White House to Celebrate Passage of Historic Gun Safety Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) joined President Biden, Vice President Harris, and his fellow Congressional lawmakers at the White House to celebrate the recently passed Bipartisan Safer Communities Act—the most significant gun violence prevention legislation signed into law in nearly 30 years. President Biden signed the legislation into law on June 25 following its passage in Congress with strong bipartisan votes in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.

"In 1989, I represented Stockton in the California Senate the day a crazed gunman walked onto the Cleveland Elementary School campus armed with an AK-47 and opened fire on the students and teachers—killing six and injuring 32," Garamendi said. "This horrific mass shooting led me to introduce California's assault weapons ban—the first assault weapons ban to be signed into law anywhere in the nation. Five years later, Senator Dianne Feinstein used my legislation as a template to bravely take up this cause in Washington and create the federal assault weapons ban, which was in effect from 1994 until 2004 and saved countless lives.

"The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is the most consequential and critically important piece of gun violence prevention legislation to become law in the 30 years since the federal assault weapons ban," Garamendi continued. "The legislation will save lives and finally help stem the tide of gun violence in our nation. It is an incredibly positive step forward—one that I hope will spur new action in Congress to reinstate the federal assault weapons ban and enact additional gun safety legislation to prevent mass shootings and keep our communities safe," Garamendi concluded.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act:

• Support for State Crisis Intervention Orders: Creates $750 million for states to create and administer laws that will ensure deadly weapons are kept out of the hands of individuals determined by a court.
• Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence by Closing the Boyfriend Loophole: Adds convicted domestic violence abusers in dating relationships to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
• Penalties for Straw Purchasing: Creates federal straw purchasing and gun trafficking criminal offenses, allowing prosecutors to target dangerous illegal gunrunners.
• Clarified Definition of Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer: Cracks down on criminals who illegally evade licensing requirements and clarifies which sellers need to register, conduct background checks, and keep appropriate records.
• Enhanced Background Checks for People Under 21: Requires an investigative period to review juvenile and mental health records, including checks with state databases and local law enforcement, for buyers under 21 years of age, creating an enhanced, longer background check of up to ten days.
• Anti-Violence Community Initiatives: Provides $250 million in funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives.
• Support for Mental Health: Improves access to mental health services for children and families, including an increase in access to mental health counseling via telehealth. Makes major investments at the Department of Health and Human Services in programs that expand provider training in mental health, support suicide prevention, crisis and trauma intervention, and recovery.
• School Safety: Provides $300 million in funding through the STOP School Violence Act to institute safety measures in and around schools, support school violence prevention efforts and provide training to school personnel and students. Codifies the SchoolSafety.gov clearinghouse, which provides evidence-based resources to improve school safety. Prohibits the use of funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to train or equip any person with dangerous weapons in schools.