Letter to the editor: Immediate action needed on gun safety

Gun violence is an epidemic that claimed 1,900 Pennsylvanian lives in 2022 and is the leading cause of death in U.S. children ages 1-19. Yet since publication of my letter “Protect our children from gun violence” (May 4, TribLive), nothing has changed, due to a state Legislature that is so ineffective it took excessive months to finally pass the budget.

And despite the historic House passage in June of two significant gun bills, House Bill 1018, Extreme Risk Protection Orders, and House Bill 714, Universal Background Checks, with bipartisan support, those bills have remained in the Senate Judiciary Committee for over 200 days because the chair, Sen. Lisa Baker, has refused to move the bills. (“Pa. Senate committee has ‘no plans’ to move House-approved gun safety measures,” Nov. 23, TribLive).

Notably, states that have enacted strong gun laws are reducing the number of gun deaths, including suicides that represent over 50% of U.S. gun deaths. Most Pennsylvanians want stronger gun laws. Our state senators, who approve bills to improve Pennsylvanians’ health and safety, must then also care that Pennsylvanians are dying daily due to homicides and suicides involving firearms; Senate leadership cannot continue to disregard lifesaving gun legislation.

We the people must now call upon our elected senators to put our safety first and act now by exerting pressure on Senate leadership, principally Baker, to move HB 1018 and HB 714 through the Senate Judiciary Committee to allow a full floor vote in the Senate.

Cheryl Rampelt

Sewickley