Steps Taken To Make Our Communities Safer & Address Gun Violence

Contact: Camille Gallo
202.225.4765 (office)
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tom MacArthur released the following statement on how the bipartisan spending bill will help make our communities safer. The bipartisan legislation allocated more than $2.3 billion in new funding to make our communities safer. Many of the steps included in the omnibus mirror Congressman MacArthur’s safer communities plan:

 

In the immediate aftermath of the devastating shooting in Parkland, I got together with people representing views across the political spectrum about ways we can make our communities safer. I outlined several action items, most of which were addressed in the bipartisan bill passed by Congress this week.

 

Congress took real, bipartisan steps to make our communities safer by strengthening the background check system and providing money for school safety and law enforcement. This bipartisan bill amends the Dickey Amendment to allow the CDC to conduct research on gun violence. This legislation also increases funding for mental health programs, like support services for young people facing mental health issues, counseling and mentoring programs, and bullying prevention.

 

These steps will save lives and make our schools safer, but we can – and must – do more. I will continue to do my part in bringing people together to achieve the real results Americans expect and deserve.

 

Background information:

 

• Congressman Tom MacArthur met with a group of students in Toms River and discussed school safety after Parkland Shooting.

 

• After Parkland shooting, Congressman Tom MacArthur held a meeting to discuss community safety in Stafford Township. The meeting was attended by Mayor John Spodofora, Police Chief Tom Dellane, Captain Herman Pharo, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Meghan Corrigan, Charlene Hoverter – Barnegat resident who is Survivor Engagement Lead and Fellow for Everytown for Gun Safety and a member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and Randy Campoli who is a local business owner, NRA member, and hunter.

 

• He also released a safer communities plan containing immediate steps that can be taken by the federal government to make our communities safer. Full plan can be read here.

 

• The omnibus includes the FIX NICS Act that will improve the instant background check system by providing more assistance for states to improve their record reporting. Congressman Tom MacArthur has been supportive of this legislation.

 

• The omnibus includes funding to ensure local law enforcement, school personnel and students have the tools and resources needed to prevent a threat, like metal detectors and other physical infrastructure.

 

• The omnibus includes law enforcement grants for police officer safety, gang enforcement efforts, and active shooter training for police officers.

 

• The omnibus amends the Dickey Amendment to explicitly allow the CDC to conduct public-health research on gun use.

 

• The omnibus allocates over $1 billion for mental health issues for programs to improve student well-being, school mental health services, bullying prevention, counseling, and training for school personnel.

 

Camille M. Gallo

Communications Director

Congressman Tom MacArthur (NJ-3)

Phone: (202) 225-4765