Dear Friends,   Over the past few weeks, our country has experienced soaring levels of gun violence. Children and adults in schools, grocery stores, hospitals and funeral homes have become targets of unspeakable tragedy. It is sickening. No other nation allows these levels of gun violence and trauma to be repeatedly inflicted upon their families.  This must stop. We know that mass gun violence is preventable. Other countries have done it: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Norway, and more have responded to protect their families. They have learned from their tragedy. America doesn’t and the sickening cycle is repeated again and again.  There are common sense solutions that will reduce gun violence and critically, save lives. We can do this for America. States with gun safety regulations like red flag laws, universal background checks, mandatory waiting periods, and other common-sense regulations experience less gun violence than states with little or no gun regulation. Enhancing gun safety is a public health approach that is now widely accepted, and a majority of the American public supports it.  This week, the House is voting on The Protecting Our Kids Act, a comprehensive gun violence prevention package that meets the needs of this moment. This legislation would raise the age to purchase semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21, restrict access to large-capacity magazines, increase protections against gun trafficking, ban bump stocks, improve the background check process to prevent discrimination, and more.   The Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2022, another action the House is taking this week, will close the “red flag loophole.” It would allow family members and law enforcement to temporarily remove access to firearms for those who are deemed a danger to themselves or to others by a federal court.   Already this Congress, the House has passed and sent to the Senate multiple common sense federal gun control measures. I was proud to support the following bills:   H.R. 8 — Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021   H.R. 1446 — Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021   H.R. 350 — Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022   H.Res. 275 — Condemning the horrific shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 16, 2021, and reaffirming the House of Representatives commitment to combating hate, bigotry, and violence against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community.   H.R. 1620 – Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2021  The House will continue to do its job by passing legislation to save lives. It is past time for the Senate to act on these measures, for each lawmaker to go on record of where they stand on ending the unrelenting trauma and devastation of gun violence that is unique to our country.  It is time to stop failing our families.  I will continue to do everything in my power to enact common sense, effective gun control measures that Americans want and that our families and communities deserve.