BOYLE PRAISES PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS DEADLY TORRENT OF GUN VIOLENCE 

WASHINGTON – Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) this evening lauded House passage of the Protecting Our Kids Act (H.R. 7910). It is commonsense legislation to address the deadly torrent of gun violence plaguing our country.

"Today more people are carrying guns in America, legally and illegally, than ever, and mass shootings are a common occurrence", said Congressman Boyle. "With more than 400 million firearms currently circulating in America, there are more guns than people in our country. The horrors of gun violence we have witnessed in recent weeks are a reflection of that perverse imbalance. With so many guns on the street, Congress must insist on commonsense strategies to reduce gun violence across the country. The Protecting Our Kids Act embodies commonsense proposals that together will reduce the violence Americans have suffered from guns in our communities."

H.R. 7910 would:

• Raise the lawful age to purchase a semiautomatic centerfire rifle from 18 to 21 years old
• Establish a new federal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity magazines, with exceptions for certain law enforcement uses and the possession (but not sale) of grandfathered magazines; allow state and local governments to use the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to compensate individuals who surrender large capacity magazines through a buyback program
• Establish new federal offenses for gun trafficking and straw purchasers and authorize seizure of the property and proceeds of the offense
• Establish voluntary best practices for safe firearm storage; award grants for Safe Firearm Storage Assistance Programs; provide a tax credit for 10% of amounts received from the retail sale of safe storage devices
• Establish requirements to regulate the storage of firearms on residential premises; create criminal penalties for violation of the requirements
• Build on ATF's regulatory bump stock ban by listing bump stocks under the National Firearms Act (like machineguns) and statutorily banning the manufacture, sale, or possession of bump stocks for civilian use