,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #eef ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #c1 #bjba,mr4 ,casey 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,markey1 ,mr4 ,menendez1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,ms4 ,cortez ,masto1 ,ms4 ,rosen1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mr4 ,brown1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,mrs4 ,shaheen1 ,ms4 ,smith1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 and ,mr4 ,booker7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to establish a ,federal ,advisory ,council to ,support ,victims of ,gun ,violence4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,resources for ,victims of ,gun ,violence ,act of #bjba4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,in the ,united ,states1 more than #ajj individuals are killed with guns every day1 totaling nearly #dj1jjj individuals who die from gun violence every year4 7#b7 ,additionally1 more than #bcj individuals sustain a nonfatal gun injury every day4 ,according to a recent national poll1 an estimated #aj1jjj1jjj individuals in the ,united ,states have been shot and injured in their lifetimes4 7#c7 ,in that same poll1 approximately #eh percent of adults in the ,united ,states reported that they1 or someone they care for1 have experienced a form of gun violence1 including a gun suicide1 a gun homicide1 domestic violence involving a gun1 or an unintentional shooting4 7#d7 ,nearly two-thirds of gun-related deaths in the ,united ,states are suicides4 ,most individuals who attempt suicide do not die--unless they use a gun4 ,approximately #ij percent of gun suicide attempts end in death1 whereas #d percent of suicide attempts not involving a firearm result in death4 7#e7 ,this is particularly concerning for veterans1 children1 and teenagers4 ,veterans are #a4e times more likely than non-veterans to die by suicide1 and in #bjag1 #fi percent of veteran suicides were by gun4 ,among children and teenagers1 the rate of gun suicide has increased #ei percent over the past #aj years4 7#f7 ,an estimated #dj1jjj1jjj adults in the ,united ,states report someone they cared for had attempted or died by suicide with a gun4 7#g7 ,more than one-third of gun-related deaths in the ,united ,states are homicides1 and in #bjae1 the gun homicide rate in the ,united ,states was nearly #be times higher than in other high-income countries4 7#h7 ,gun homicides in the ,united ,states occur disproportionately in cities1 particularly in racially segregated neighborhoods with high rates of poverty4 ,gun homicide disproportionately affects communities of color1 and ,black ,americans represent the majority of gun homicide victims4 7#i7 ,more than #fjj mass shootings1 defined as shootings in which #d or more individuals were shot and killed or injured1 took place in the ,united ,states in #bjbj1 and more than #b1fjj mass shootings have taken place since the shooting at ,sandy ,hook ,elementary ,school in ,newtown1 ,connecticut1 in #bjab4 7#aj7 ,firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teenagers4 ,in #bjai1 more than #c1cjj children and teenagers were shot and killed4 ,each year1 approximately #ae1fjj children and teenagers are shot and injured4 ,black children and teenagers are #ad times more likely than their white peers to die by gun homicide4 7#aa7 ,during an average year in the ,united ,states1 more than #fjj women are shot to death by an intimate partner1 and many more women are shot and injured by an intimate partner4 ,nearly #a1jjj1jjj women in the ,united ,states who are alive today have been shot or shot at by an intimate partner1 and approximately #d1ejj1jjj women in the ,united ,states today have been threatened with a gun by an intimate partner4 7#ab7 ,more than #aj1cjj violent hate crimes committed in the ,united ,states in an average year involve a gun1 or more than #bh each day4 ,the vast majority of hate crimes are directed against communities of color1 religious minorities1 and individuals in the ,,lgbtq community4 7#ac7 ,in #bjbj1 communities and cities across the ,united ,states experienced an increase in gun violence and gun homicides as the country struggled with the economic and social uncertainty caused by the ,,covid-#ai pandemic4 7#ad7 ,from ,march #bjbj through ,november #bjbj1 an estimated #ag1djj1jjj guns were sold1 an #ha percent increase over the same period in #bjai4 ,this unprecedented surge in gun sales put children1 victims of domestic abuse1 and communities of color at an even greater risk of gun violence4 7#ae7 ,the individuals who survive gun violence every year in the ,united ,states face a lifelong process of physical and emotional healing1 in addition to the heavy economic costs faced by those survivors1 their families and communities1 and society as a whole4 ,furthermore1 victims of gun violence are often unaware of or have trouble accessing many available resources that could help them in their recovery4 7#af7 ,victims of gun violence experience persistent mental health problems1 including post-traumatic stress1 depression1 self-harm1 anxiety1 and substance abuse4 ,the ,national ,center for ,,ptsd 7,post-,traumatic ,stress ,disorder7 of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs estimates that #bh percent of individuals who witness a mass shooting develop ,,ptsd1 and about one-third of those individuals develop acute stress disorder4 ,victims of gun violence suffer from increased rates of unemployment1 and young victims of gun violence are more likely to have lower grades and more absences from school4 7#ag7 ,young people who survive gun-related incidents are also at risk of experiencing gun violence again in the future4 ,one study estimated that nearly one-fourth of the individuals who survive a gun shooting at age #bd or younger will be shot again within the next #aj years4 7#ah7 ,given the immense physical and emotional toll of gun violence on victims1 ,congress must do more to ensure that victims of gun violence have access to the resources they need to recover from their trauma--especially for victims experiencing common1 everyday gun violence in racially segregated neighborhoods with high rates of poverty and chronic disinvestment4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,advisory council ,the term ,advisory ,council means the ,advisory ,council to ,support ,victims of ,gun ,violence established under section #d4 7#b7 ,appropriate committees ,the term appropriate committees means the following3 7,a7 ,the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate4 7,b7 ,the ,committee on the ,judiciary of the ,senate4 7,c7 ,the ,committee on ,education and ,labor of the ,house of ,representatives4 7,d7 ,the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives4 7,e7 ,the ,committee on the ,judiciary of the ,house of ,representatives4 7,f7 ,any other relevant committee of the ,senate or of the ,house of ,representatives with jurisdiction over matters affecting victims of gun violence4 7#c7 ,gun violence ,the term gun violence means-- 7,a7 suicide involving firearms2 7,b7 homicide involving firearms2 7,c7 domestic violence involving firearms2 7,d7 hate crimes involving firearms2 7,e7 youth violence involving firearms2 7,f7 mass shootings2 7,g7 unintentional shootings2 7,h7 non-fatal shootings2 and 7,i7 threats or exposure to violent acts involving firearms4 7#d7 ,victim assistance professional ,the term victim assistance professional means a professional who assists victims of gun violence1 including-- 7,a7 a medical professional1 including an emergency medical professional2 7,b7 a social worker2 7,c7 a provider of long-term services or care2 and 7,d7 a victim advocate4 7#e7 ,victim of gun violence ,the term victim of gun violence means-- 7,a7 an individual who has been wounded as a result of gun violence2 7,b7 an individual who has been threatened with an act of gun violence2 7,c7 an individual who has witnessed an act of gun violence2 and 7,d7 a relative1 classmate1 coworker1 or other associate of-- 7i7 an individual who has been killed as a result of gun violence2 or 7ii7 an individual described in subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b74 #d4 ,advisory ,council to ,support ,victims of ,gun ,violence 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established an ,advisory ,council to ,support ,victims of ,gun ,violence4 7b7 ,membership 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,advisory ,council shall be composed of the following members or their designees3 7,a7 ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services4 7,b7 ,the ,attorney ,general4 7,c7 ,the ,secretary of ,education4 7,d7 ,the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development4 7,e7 ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4 7,f7 ,the ,commissioner of the ,social ,security ,administration4 7,g7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use4 7,h7 ,the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention4 7,i7 ,the ,director of the ,national ,institutes of ,health4 7,j7 ,the ,administrator of the ,administration for ,community ,living4 7,k7 ,the ,director of the ,office on ,violence ,against ,women4 7,l7 ,the ,director of the ,office for ,victims of ,crime4 7,m7 ,the chairman of the ,board of the ,legal ,services ,corporation4 7,n7 ,as appropriate1 the head of any other ,federal department or agency identified by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services as having responsibilities1 or administering programs1 relating to issues affecting victims of gun violence4 7#b7 ,additional members ,in addition to the members described in paragraph 7#a71 the ,advisory ,council shall be composed of the following3 7,a7 ,not fewer than #b and not more than #e victims of gun violence1 who shall be appointed by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services4 7,b7 ,not fewer than #b and not more than #e victim assistance professionals1 who shall be appointed by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services4 7#c7 ,lead agency ,the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services shall be the lead agency for the ,advisory ,council4 7c7 ,duties 7#a7 ,assessment ,the ,advisory ,council shall-- 7,a7 survey victims of gun violence and victim assistance professionals about their needs in order to inform the content of information disseminated under paragraph 7#b7 and the report published under paragraph 7#c72 7,b7 conduct a literature review and assess past or ongoing programs designed to assist victims of gun violence or individuals with similar needs to determine-- 7i7 the effectiveness of the programs2 and 7ii7 best and promising practices for assisting victims of gun violence2 and 7,c7 assess the administration of compensation funds established after mass shootings to determine best and promising practices to direct victims of gun violence to sources of funding4 7#b7 ,information 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,advisory ,council shall identify1 promote1 coordinate1 and disseminate to the public information1 resources1 and best and promising practices available to help victims of gun violence-- 7i7 meet their medical1 financial1 educational1 workplace1 housing1 transportation1 assistive technology1 and accessibility needs2 7ii7 maintain their mental health and emotional well-being2 7iii7 seek legal redress for their injuries and protection against any ongoing threats to their safety2 and 7iv7 access government programs1 services1 and benefits for which they may be eligible or to which they may be entitled4 7,b7 ,contact information ,the ,advisory ,council shall include in the information disseminated under subparagraph 7,a7 the websites and telephone contact information for helplines of relevant ,federal agencies1 ,state agencies1 and nonprofit organizations4 7,c7 ,availability ,the ,advisory ,council shall make the information described in subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 available-- 7i7 online through a public website2 and 7ii7 by submitting a hard copy and making available additional hard copies to-- 7,i7 each ,member of ,congress2 7,,ii7 each field office of the ,social ,security ,administration2 7,,iii7 each ,state agency that is responsible for administering health and human services1 for dissemination to medical facilities2 7,,iv7 each ,state agency that is responsible for administering education programs1 for dissemination to schools2 and 7,v7 the office of each ,state attorney general1 for dissemination to local prosecutor's offices4 7#c7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,advisory ,council shall-- 7,a7 prepare a report that-- 7i7 includes the best and promising practices1 resources1 and other useful information for victims of gun violence identified under paragraph 7#b72 7ii7 identifies any gaps in items described in clause 7i72 and 7iii7 if applicable1 identifies any additional ,federal or ,state legislative authority necessary to implement the activities described in clause 7i7 or address the gaps described in clause 7ii72 7,b7 submit the report prepared under subparagraph 7,a7 to-- 7i7 the appropriate committees2 7ii7 each ,state agency that is responsible for administering health and human services2 7iii7 each ,state agency that is responsible for administering education programs2 and 7iv7 the office of each ,state attorney general2 and 7,c7 make the report prepared under subparagraph 7,a7 available to the public online in an accessible format4 7#d7 ,follow-up report ,not later than #b years after the date on which the ,advisory ,council prepares the report under paragraph 7#c71 the ,advisory ,council shall-- 7,a7 submit to the entities described in subparagraph 7,b7 of that paragraph a follow-up report that includes the information identified in subparagraph 7,a7 of that paragraph2 and 7,b7 make the follow-up report described in subparagraph 7,a7 available to the public online in an accessible format4 7#e7 ,public input 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,advisory ,council shall establish a process to collect public input to inform the development of1 and provide updates to1 the best and promising practices1 resources1 and other information described in paragraph 7#b71 including by conducting outreach to entities and individuals described in subparagraph 7,b7 of this paragraph that-- 7i7 have a range of experience with the types of gun violence described in section #c7c72 and 7ii7 include representation from communities disproportionately affected by gun violence4 7,b7 ,entities and individuals ,the entities and individuals described in this subparagraph are-- 7i7 ,states1 local governments1 and organizations that provide information to1 or support for1 victims of gun violence2 7ii7 victims of gun violence2 and 7iii7 victim assistance professionals4 7,c7 ,nature of outreach ,in conducting outreach under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,advisory ,council shall ask for input on-- 7i7 information1 resources1 and best and promising practices available1 including identification of any gaps and unmet needs2 7ii7 recommendations that would help victims of gun violence-- 7,i7 better meet their medical1 financial1 educational1 workplace1 housing1 transportation1 assistive technology1 and accessibility needs2 7,,ii7 maintain their mental health and emotional well-being2 7,,iii7 seek legal redress for their injuries and protection against any ongoing threats to their safety2 and 7,,iv7 access government programs1 services1 and benefits for which the victims may be eligible or to which the victims may be entitled2 and 7iii7 any other subject areas discovered during the process that would help victims of gun violence4 7d7 ,,faca ,the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 shall not apply to the ,advisory ,council4 7e7 ,funding ,no additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this ,act4 7f7 ,sunset ,the ,advisory ,council shall terminate on the date that is #e years after the date of establishment of the ,advisory ,council4