JWI Calls on Congress to Pass Legislation that Protect Survivors from Gun Violence

JWI Calls on Congress to Pass Legislation that Protect Survivors from Gun Violence

Washington, D.C. — Jewish Women International (JWI) has long supported gun violence prevention legislation – particularly when it intersects with the epidemic of domestic violence, dating abuse, and stalking. We are heartened by the interest in the Trump Administration to pass commonsense gun violence prevention legislation that updates our laws to prohibit domestic violence abusers from purchasing or possessing guns. Our 75,000 members call on all members of Congress to pass legislation that protects survivors from gun violence and to support other life-saving gun violence prevention legislation.

In 2016, our Interfaith Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence galvanized 500 clergy representing Christian, Muslim, and Jewish faiths to sign a letter of support for the Zero Tolerance for Domestic Abusers Act (H.R. 3207) and the Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act (S. 1539). Both bills would close loopholes that allow convicted abusers and stalkers to buy and own guns. Currently, federal law allows individuals convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence who have not cohabited with their victim or who do not have a child with their victim, as well as individuals convicted of misdemeanor stalking, to purchase and possess firearms. Since physical abuse occurs before seventy to eighty percent of intimate partner murders, it is imperative that Congress prohibit these perpetrators from owning and possessing firearms.

We thank Representatives Dan Donovan and Debbie Dingell and Senator Amy Klobuchar for their steadfast work to close the ‘boyfriend loophole’ which will prevent all abusers from purchasing guns. We urge all members of Congress to join them in co-sponsoring H.R. 3207/S.1539 and to pass this commonsense piece of legislation.