Grassley Statement on Mass Shootings in El Paso, Texas, & Dayton, Ohio

SAC COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley made the following statement regarding deadly shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, over the weekend:

 

“The terrible acts of violence in El Paso and Dayton over the weekend are heartbreaking and disgusting. There is no place for such cowardice and selfishness in a free society. Our nation grieves for the souls we lost, and for everyone whose lives were forever changed,” Grassley said.

 

“As we grieve we should also look to ways we can prevent future tragedies. We as a society must be better equipped to recognize the warning signs that almost always precede acts of mass violence. Existing laws are supposed to prevent dangerous people from purchasing or possessing firearms, but we can do more to better protect our communities. I introduced the EAGLES Act to expand Secret Service threat assessment training so places like schools, churches and businesses can better identify potential threats. I’ve also introduced legislation to improve how we identify people who are mentally unfit to possess a firearm. Red flag laws fall mainly within the jurisdiction of states, but I’d support a federal proposal so long as it contains strong due process safeguards. The Judiciary Committee held a hearing on these laws earlier this year.”

 

Grassley cosponsored the Fix NICS Act of 2017, which gives incentives for state and federal government agencies to improve their reporting into the NICS system. The legislation was signed into law in March of 2018.

 

Grassley cosponsored Sen. Orrin Hatch’s bipartisan Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act of 2018. The legislation funds school security improvements and invests in early intervention and prevention programs to stop school violence before it happens. Grassley successfully negotiated with appropriators and the White House to make sure that this program received the funding it deserved and fought for its inclusion in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, which the President signed into law in March of 2018.

 

Grassley joined Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and a group of senators in introducing the School Safety & Mental Health Services Improvement Act. The legislation would allow 100,000 public schools to improve school safety by using federal dollars for school counselors, alarm systems, security cameras and crisis intervention training.

 

While he was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Grassley held a hearing titled “See Something, Say Something” in the aftermath of the Parkland Shooting to discuss legislative steps to improve school safety, and conducted oversight the government’s failure to respond to tips beforehand.

 

In the aftermath of the Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs shootings, Grassley held a hearing titled “Firearm Accessory Regulation and Enforcing Federal and State Reporting to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).” Grassley also supported the Administration’s regulatory effort to restrict the sale of bump stock devises such as those used in the Las Vegas shooting.

 

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