Calling it a “monumental day,” President Biden has signed into law the most significant federal gun safety legislation in decades after it passed both the House and Senate last week.
The bill includes critically important and popular measures including expanded background checks for buyers under 21, funds to states to implement extreme risk protection measures, and increased funding for mental health services.
“God willing, it’s going to save a lot of lives,” Biden said.
CEA President Kate Dias thanked President Biden and Congress for playing a pivotal role in strengthening gun safety laws and making schools safer.
“Ten years ago, Connecticut experienced one of the deadliest mass shootings in history,” said Dias. “After the tragedy at Sandy Hook, our state’s lawmakers demonstrated the political will to pass some of the toughest gun safety legislation in the country. We thank President Biden and Congress for following Connecticut’s lead and continuing the work necessary to prevent these kinds of tragedies, such as the one that claimed the lives of 19 students and two educators last month in Uvalde, Texas.”
“This is a good first step, and the bill will absolutely help save lives, but we cannot stop here,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “Lawmakers from both parties need to do more to pass comprehensive measures to stop the massacres at our public schools and communities. We will not stop until every educator can plan their lessons without also planning for evacuation. NEA will continue our work because we are not done until every child—in every corner of our country—can walk to school and sit in class in safety.”
Senator Chris Murphy, one of the lead negotiators on the legislative package that is now law, said, “This is the culmination of decades of work—we’ve broken the logjam, and we can’t stop now.”
