Faith in Texas and clergy leaders gathered outside John Cornyn’s office in Dallas on Wednesday, June 1st, 2022, to pray and call for changes to gun control legislation. Christians, Jews, and Muslims united to worship and demonstrate solidarity for those impacted by gun violence. Faith leaders called for the following demands:
1. Ban Assault Weapons and Ghost Guns.
2. Pass Universal Background Checks.
3. Fund Peace via Community Violence Intervention Strategies.
4. Scale National Culturally Responsive Mental Health Infrastructure.
3 Bills that speak to the demands:
- Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act (H.R. 350) – This bill would establish offices at the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and FBI to focus on monitoring, investigating and prosecuting cases of domestic terrorism. This would prevent domestic hate crime incidents, like the tragic mass shooting in Buffalo which left 10 black individuals dead at a local supermarket.
- Bipartisan Background Checks Act (H.R. 8) and Enhanced Background Checks Act (H.R. 1446) – H.R. 8 would require background checks for all gun sales and H.R. 1446 would extend the initial background check review period from 3 days to 10 days. More than 90% of Americans support these essential pieces of legislation.
- Break the Cycle of Violence Act – This bill would invest $6.5 billion in community violence intervention and strategic workforce programs that are proven to save lives.
Please reach out to your local legislator to urge passing gun violence prevention legislation.
