Internal medicine physicians say Senate agreement promising first-step in reducing firearms-related deaths and injuries

The American College of Physicians (ACP) is encouraged by the initial agreement within the Senate regarding new legislation intended to reduce the number of firearms-related deaths and injuries in the United States. The provisions that were detailed in the announcement are a first step toward new policies that will begin to address the public health crisis of firearms violence.

In a letter that ACP sent to Senate leadership on Friday, I said that we are greatly concerned not only about the alarming number of mass shootings in the United States but also the daily toll of firearm violence in our neighborhoods, homes, workplaces, and public and private venues across the country. I am encouraged to see the Senate agreement includes some of the measures we asked for in that letter; expanding background checks, increasing the use of extreme risk protection orders (or "red flag" laws), and improving the availability of mental health services.

We urge the Senate to work quickly on drafting the language of the bill, preserving all of the provisions they outlined in the initial announcement yesterday. We also call on the House to follow suit by quickly passing the legislation. Even with this agreement, our work to reduce gun violence is not over. We will continue to press legislators and other policymakers to do more to keep our patients and our communities safe.

Provided by American College of Physicians