[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1306 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1306
Expressing support for the designation of June 21, 2024, as National
ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Day to promote children's health and safe
storage of guns in the home.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 18, 2024
Mr. Crow (for himself, Mrs. McBath, Ms. McClellan, Ms. Kamlager-Dove,
Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. Norton, Mr. Schiff, Mrs. Hayes, Ms.
Brownley, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Goldman of New York, Ms.
Kelly of Illinois, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Swalwell,
Mr. Johnson of Georgia, and Mr. Peters) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the designation of June 21, 2024, as National
ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Day to promote children's health and safe
storage of guns in the home.
Whereas firearm-related deaths are now the leading cause of death in United
States children;
Whereas, according to estimates from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization
Project, on average, 22 children and teens per day were injured or
killed from the discharge of a firearm;
Whereas 4.6 million children in the United States live in homes with loaded and
unlocked guns;
Whereas, in States that collect data through the National Violent Death
Reporting System, on average, 80 percent of unintentional firearm deaths
of children under 15 occurred in a home;
Whereas, in approximately 80 percent of school shootings by a student, the gun
was brought from their home or the home of a family member and owned by
an adult family member;
Whereas the ASK Campaign encourages parents to add a question to a conversation
before their child visits other homes, ``Is there a gun in your
house?'', and follow affirmative answers with, ``Is it locked and
unloaded?'';
Whereas asking these simple questions about gun safety before sending your child
to visit or play at another home could help save your child's life;
Whereas asking these questions will raise awareness of the need for safe storage
of guns in the home as a proven effective preventative safety measure;
Whereas asking these questions will prevent incidents of family fire, in which
an improperly stored or misused gun results in injury or death;
Whereas the ASK Campaign was first established with the American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP) in 2000 and is currently administered by the Brady
Campaign;
Whereas the president of the AAP has said, ``Keeping children and teens safe
from preventable injuries is one of the most important things we do as
pediatricians.'';
Whereas, a November 2017 Government Accountability Office report, ``Personal
Firearms: Programs that Promote Safe Storage and Research on Their
Effectiveness'', identified 16 public or nonprofit programs that promote
safe gun storage, including the ASK program, and reported that the ASK
program was the only national program to be evaluated and validated as
effective;
Whereas June 21, the first day of summer, the season in which kids typically
spend more time at a friend's or family member's home, has traditionally
been designated as National ASK Day;
Whereas the Brady Center and Campaign, its more than 100 chapters in a majority
of States throughout the Nation, and its many local, State, and national
partners come together to highlight the ASK Campaign each year in
communities across the Nation; and
Whereas June 21 is designated by national organizations, as well as various
local and State governments, including State legislatures, as the 20th
annual National ASK Day: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the designation of National ASK (Asking Saves
Kids) Day to encourage parents to begin asking this life-saving
question;
(2) encourages public health, medical, and other
professionals to discuss gun ownership, gun safety, and safe
storage in the home with their patients and parents and
guardians of minors; and
(3) supports the goals and ideals of National ASK Day.
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