As a result of the ongoing violence attributed to firearms, Florida Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell has filed the Firearms Retailer Code of Conduct Act in an effort to stem the gun violence that continues to plague communities across the country, especially those Hispanic and Black communities within Democratic-controlled cities like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Austin.
Rep. Mucarsel-Powell’s bill was written to help stop the sale of illegally trafficked firearms by requiring licensed gun dealers to be trained in identifying illegal gun purchases, including the gun guys where a buyer buys the gun for someone else.
“Gun violence and its tragedies continue to plague our nation. It doesn’t stop because of a pandemic,” said Mucarsel-Powell. “I’ve heard the stories of gun violence in our communities and the heart break that it causes. This commonsense bill aims to keep guns off of our streets and out of our neighborhoods. Gun dealers are the last line of defense in identifying and stopping fraudulent or dangerous firearm purchases, and my legislation holds them responsible. I urge my colleagues to join me and push this legislation through Congress as soon as possible.”
“Communities of color disproportionately suffer the pain and consequences of gun violence. Data shows that 89% of all gun homicides occur in urban communities and 73% of all gun homicide victims are Hispanic or Black. Nationally, Hispanic Americans are nearly twice as likely than white Americans to die from gun homicide, and Black Americans are ten times as likely compared to white Americans.”
According to Mucarsel-Powell’s press office, because many of them reside in disadvantaged communities where illicit drug use and sales, as well as other crimes like human trafficking, run rampant, Hispanic and Blacks are at greater risk of dying as a result of being shot with a firearm.
The bigger issue lawmakers face in regards to curbing gun violence is the fact that most of the guns used in crimes across the nation as a result of a black market sale.
Criminals will always be able to obtain a firearm illegally. It’s supply and demand.
