Republican Congressman Doug Collins of Gainesville has introduced the Mass Violence Prevention Act to prevent firearms violence by improving law enforcement response to potential threats and reducing the flow of firearms through illegal street sales.
In a statement released Monday afternoon, Collins - who is the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee - said his legislation is designed to prevent mass shootings, as well as giving law enforcement the proper tools to deal with violent situations when they do occur.
“It’s cruel to advance legislation that ignores the factors contributing to gun violence when tragedies like Columbine, Parkland and Aurora, Illinois have showed us again and again what we need to do to keep communities safe," Collins said in a press statement. "Authorities have missed opportunities to stop mass shootings before they start, and the Mass Violence Prevention Act combats that disturbing trend by ensuring local, state and federal law enforcement can better share information and coordinate responses to potential threats of mass violence. The MVP Act would also reduce the flow of firearms into the black market, where we often see violent criminals buying their weapons and circumventing background checks.”
Collins provided the following background on the Mass Violence Prevention Act, or the MVP Act, as it will be more commonly known:
Collins provided the following background on the Mass Violence Prevention Act, or the MVP Act, as it will be more commonly known:
- The MVP Act would codify a fusion center at DOJ to help local, state and federal law enforcement share and process intelligence so they can swiftly and appropriately respond to potential instances of mass violence. Authorities failed to share information and respond to known threats at Columbine, Charleston, Parkland and the most recent mass shooting in Illinois, yet no other bill currently addresses this widespread problem. The fusion center follows successful models for combating terrorism and drug trafficking currently in place.
- The MVP Act strengthens the penalty for burglary of a Federal Firearms Licensee. This would deter criminals from committing these crimes by imposing serious consequences for those actions, giving law enforcement a stronger tool to protect schools and communities.
- The MVP Act authorizes the Justice Department to hire additional assistant United States attorneys to prosecute gun violence cases under Project Safe Neighborhoods. This will allow the attorney general to allocate these positions in response to the incidence of firearms-related violence, while dismantling gangs and other criminal organizations that trade in violent crime.
To see the content of the resolution, follow this link.
