U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) touted her Safe Storage Saves Lives Act legislation during a news conference on Friday held at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit.
She was joined by state Rep. Stephanie Young (D-Detroit) and gun safety advocates.
“It’s horrifying that 4.6 million children in our country live in homes with a loaded and unlocked firearm,” said Tlaib. “Tragically, in Southeast Michigan, we have witnessed the deadly consequences of children having easy access to firearms in their homes. Safe storage is key to protecting our children from gun violence. The Safe Storage Saves Lives Act will require a gun lock with every gun sold in the United States. We must move with the urgency this moment demands and pass common sense gun safety legislation that will save lives.”
Tlaib pointed out that firearms are now the leading cause of death for American children. A significant portion of these deaths involve the accidental discharge of a firearm, including a number of recent horrifying incidents in Southeast Michigan. Tlaib and Young argued that deaths are easily preventable through proper gun storage and safety.
Young pointed out that the Michigan Legislature recently passed a set of gun safety bills that were signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in May.
“For you law-abiding gun owners, we don’t want your guns – I know that I don’t want your guns but can you do the right thing with the gun? That’s what we are talking about,” she said.
Mia Reid, Detroit group lead for Moms Demand Action, said her son was killed in 2011 due to gun violence.
“That is a fact for me to live with,” Reid said.
Tlaib’s measure is backed by several organizations, including End Gun Violence Michigan Coalition, Michigan United, Detroit Federation of Teachers, LGBT Detroit, Michigan People’s Campaign, Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church, Interfaith Action of SW Michigan, Michigan Parent Alliance for Safe Schools and Statewide Indivisible Michigan.
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authored by Ken Coleman
First published at https%3A%2F%2Fmichiganadvance.com%2F2023%2F06%2F16%2Ftlaib-require-a-gun-lock-with-every-gun-sold-in-the-united-states%2F
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