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(Washington, DC) – Today, Representatives Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), and Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), joined by Representatives James Clyburn (SC-06), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), John Garamendi (CA-08),Tim Kennedy (NY-26), Summer Lee (PA-12),David Min (CA-47), and Nikema Williams (GA-06), reintroduced the Disarm Hate Act to prevent individuals convicted of violent misdemeanor hate crimes from purchasing or possessing firearms.
The Disarm Hate Act would address the dangerous gap in current federal law by providing that individuals who have been convicted of a misdemeanor-level hate crime, or received an enhanced sentence for a misdemeanor crime after a judicial finding that they acted with hate or bias motivation, are prohibited from buying or possessing guns.
“Six years ago, a white supremacist drove 10 hours to El Paso intent on slaughtering Mexicans and immigrants in what remains the deadliest attack against Latinos in modern American history,”said Congresswoman Escobar.“The hate directed at Hispanic and immigrant communities continues to this day. When bigotry is combined with easy access to assault weapons, the result is a devastating and lethal threat, and too many communities across the nation, including my own, have lived with these consequences firsthand. As lawmakers, we carry a solemn duty to act and stop as many future tragedies that are a result of gun violence as possible. I am proud to stand with my colleagues in introducing vital legislation to ensure firearms stay out of the hands of those who should never have them.”
“Across the country, we have seen hate-fueled attacks claim the lives of far too many in recent years,”said Senator Luján.“Despite the concerning number of hate crimes that have plagued our country, it is horrifying that this loophole allows dangerous individuals to buy or possess a firearm. That is why I’m proud to partner with Congresswoman Escobar to introduce the Disarm Hate Act and help prevent deadly, hate-fueled attacks before they terrorize our communities. We must continue to work to ensure dangerous weapons stay out of the wrong hands, and this legislation is a vital step.”
“For years, stories of gun violence tragedies have turned into recurring segments on our news stations. These instances of gun-enabled hate shed darkness on our communities and cost us the lives of children, parents, classmates, teachers, and community members. It’s a pain my district, home to Pulse Nightclub, knows too well and will never forget. The Disarm Hate Act honors the lives stolen from the gun violence epidemic with action and is a step toward stopping the next senseless tragedy before it happens,”said Rep. Frost.
“As we tragically witnessed in Charleston, South Carolina at Emanuel AME Church in 2015, and far too often elsewhere, hatred and guns are a lethal mix,”said Rep. Clyburn.“We must do more to keep deadly firearms out of the hands of those seeking to use them to commit these heinous crimes.To that end, earlier this year I reintroduced my legislation to close the Charleston Loophole, and today I am pleased to join Rep. Escobar in reintroducing the Disarm Hate Act. I urge the Republican majority to bring these common-sense bills to the House floor for a vote. Lives are at stake.”
“It is unacceptable that someone convicted of a misdemeanor-level hate crime can still purchase a firearm,”said Rep. Garamendi.“As the author of California’s assault weapons ban and a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I am committed to ending America’s gun violence epidemic. There have been too many hate-fueled shootings over the last decade, and we must refuse to treat them as inevitable. I am proud to work with Rep. Escobar to build a safer future for families across the country.”
“Western New York has seen firsthand the devastation that hate-driven gun violence can inflict on a community,”said Rep. Tim Kennedy.“I’m proud to co-lead the Disarm Hate Act because no one convicted of a violent hate crime, either misdemeanor or felony, should have access to a firearm. By closing this loophole, we are combating gun violence, protecting our neighbors, and standing firmly against the rising tide of hate in our nation. This common-sense legislation takes a critical step toward preventing tragedies like the racist mass shooting that shook Buffalo to its core.”
“Representing a community still healing from the trauma of the Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting, I see every day the deadly consequences of allowing white supremacists and hate-motivated individuals access to weapons of war,”said Rep. Summer Lee."In this moment, when division, bigotry, and political violence are being openly stoked and normalized by the Trump administration, we cannot ignore how that hatred trickles down into our streets, our schools, and our sacred spaces. The Disarm Hate Act is a necessary step to confront the rising tide of anti-Black racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Asian violence, anti-trans hate, and all forms of bigotry threatening our communities. Our families deserve to live without fear, and Congress must act to protect the people we serve.”
“As a country, we’ve mourned tragedy after tragedy as a result of gun violence. It’s appalling that we still have to say this — people convicted of hate crimes should never have access to guns. In 2021, Atlanta witnessed a horrific act of anti-Asian hate when an assailant attacked multiple spas, targeting Asian women. And across the nation, Black communities have long faced deadly violence fueled by racism — from church massacres to everyday acts of terror that rarely make headlines. Our communities are still mending from the trauma, and the effects are still felt to this day. No matter your race, ethnicity, or gender, everyone has the right to live without fear of violence,”said Rep. Nikema Williams.
"Hate becomes even more dangerous when it’s paired with easy access to a gun. We see the impact of that every day in our communities,”said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action.“The Disarm Hate Act is a clear step toward keeping families safe. It closes a gap that lets people with violent hate crime convictions get their hands on a gun, and that puts all of us at risk. We’re proud to stand with Rep. Veronica Escobar and Senator Ben Ray Luján as they work to keep guns out of dangerous hands and protect the communities targeted by hate.”
The Disarm Hate Act is endorsed by GIFFORDS, Brady: United Against Gun Violence, Community Justice, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Everytown for Gun Safety, Newtown Action Alliance, Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), Violence Policy Center, Jewish Women International, and Sandy Hook Promise.
All original House co-leads represent districts that have been impacted by hate-motivated mass shootings.
In June 2015, a white supremacist murdered nine worshippers during a bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
In June 2016, a gunman attacked a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, leaving 49 people dead and 53 others injured.
In October 2018, 11 worshippers were killed and seven others injured during an attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In August 2019, a man killed 23 victims and wounded 23 others in a shooting in a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, admitting to targeting Mexicans.
In March 2021, a gunman killed eight victims on a shooting rampage through three spas in Atlanta, Georgia, six of whom were Asian American women.
In February 2022, a gunman with a history of expressing support for Nazis and Proud Boys groups opened fire at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Portland, Oregon, killing 1 and injuring 5 others.
In May 2022, a self-described supporter of white supremacy killed 10 people in a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York.
In May 2022, a Nevada man carried firearms into a Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, shooting and killing one congregant and injuring five others with gunfire in an attempt to kill all 44 parishioners. The man allegedly targeted the church because of the congregants’ national origin and religion.
In August 2023, an individual tore down the pride flag in a Southern California store while yelling homophobic slurs. When the store owner confronted the individual, he shot and killed her. The assailant had a history of anti-LGBTQI+ posts on social media, and the incident is now being investigated as a hate crime.
Full text of the bill can be found here.
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