Thursday, July 14, 2022

New York City Insider: Representative Adriano Espaillat Votes for Active Shooter Alert Act.

 


PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

July 14, 2022

 
Representative Adriano Espaillat Votes for Active Shooter Alert Act.

 

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) voted for legislation to quickly warn New York communities of a nearby active shooter.  The Active Shooter Alert Act will establish a program similar to the AMBER Alert system, allowing law enforcement to effectively and efficiently alert the public during a shooting.  Secured by the Democratic House Majority, today’s passage follows House Republicans’ inexplicable attempt to obstruct this life-saving legislation last month. 

“New Yorkers, including thousands of survivors, are demanding action to combat gun violence and increase safety across our communities,” said Rep. Espaillat. “Building on the enactment of the landmark Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, I proudly voted to help law enforcement keep New Yorkers safe and informed during active shooter incidents.  This commonsense, straightforward measure will equip communities in the state with the resources, training and strategies they need to save lives.  As we work to enact this urgently needed legislation, House Democrats will continue fighting to overcome Republican obstruction and bring our nation’s gun violence epidemic to an end.”

Since 2009, communities across the nation have been torn apart by nearly 300 mass shootings – attacks that have killed more than 1,500 people and wounded 1,000 more.  Among the most urgent challenges during an active shooter incident is the need to prevent additional victims from unknowingly walking into the line of fire. 

The Active Shooter Alert Act will support these life-saving efforts by establishing an Active Shooter Alert Coordinator at the U.S. Department of Justice.  The Coordinator will offer state and local law enforcement officials voluntary access to training, technical support and advice for improving or implementing active shooter alert systems.  These resources include guidance on the most effective alert content, delivery strategies and recommendations such as silencing alerts in the immediate vicinity of a shooter. 

This legislation is strongly supported by major law enforcement organizations, including the National Sherriff’s Association, Major Cities Chiefs Associations, National Association of Police Organizations, Fraternal Order of Police, National Police Foundation and National District Attorneys Association. 

Last month, President Biden and the Democratic Congress enacted the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – the country’s first major gun violence prevention legislation in nearly three decades.  This landmark legislation secured life-saving measures to keep weapons out of dangerous hands, strengthen mental health services and bolster school safety.  

 

Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his third term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities. He is also a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where he serves in a leadership role as the Second Vice Chair and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, where he serves as Deputy Whip. Representative Espaillat also currently serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.

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