SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – In the wake of the recent tragic mass shootings across the country, Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives outlined upcoming critical legislation on the docket at the Capitol in an open letter on Thursday.
"As we confront a rising tide of gun violence across America, our hearts are filled with grief and outrage," the letter began. "Yet we continue to draw inspiration from the extraordinary courage and resilience of the survivors, who are transforming their anguish into action."
There have been calls from major leaders, including President Joe Biden to tighten up gun control measures following the recent mass shooting at the elementary school in Uvalde, Texas last week. Biden is preparing to give further remarks on the issue of gun control Thursday.
Although some progress has been made since Democrats took over the majority of the House in 2018, including the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and the Enhanced Background Checks Act, which ensured background checks for gun purchases, there is still more to be done.
A new piece of legislation, the Protecting Our Children Act, intends to take things further and is set to be voted on next week.
According to the letter, the package includes several measures, including, "raising the purchasing age for semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21 years old, outlawing high-capacity magazines and bump stocks for civilian use, subjecting ghost gun purchases to background check requirements, cracking down on gun trafficking and straw purchases to get illegal guns off of our streets and strengthening safe storage requirements to protect children from accidental shootings."
But that isn't the only legislation under consideration.
The Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act intends to enact a nationwide "extreme risk law" with the purpose of keeping guns out of the hands of those who might do harm, and encourages states to enact their own similar laws.
The bill, introduced by Congresswoman Lucy McBath and Congressman Salud Carbajal, is also set to be voted on next week.
A bit further down the line, another bill introduced by Congressman David Cicilline will be brought to the floor, according to the letter.
The Active Shooter Alert Act would effectively create an "AMBER Alert-style notification during a mass shooting," according to the letter, and has the support of law enforcement representatives.
And in the near future, a hearing will be held on an assault weapons bill, the letter added.
"As we go down this path, it is our responsibility to keep gun violence front and center in the media so that, strengthened by public opinion, we can get life-saving legislation over the finish line," said the letter.
"It is sickening that, in America, more children die from gun violence than any other cause. Saving our children can and must be a unifying mission for our nation," the letter continued. "To all those in the Congress who would stand in the way of saving lives: your political survival is insignificant compared to the survival of our children. We will not rest until the job is done."
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