McClellan Joins Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Task Force

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) announced she has formally joined the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, chaired by Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-04).

“The gun violence epidemic is one of the greatest challenges of our time,” said McClellan. “When people go to the grocery store, school, work, or their place of worship, they should not have to worry about whether they will come home or become the latest victim of gun violence. As a mother to two young children, I am fully committed to developing smart policy solutions to combat this pervasive issue and help minimize the tragic loss of life in our communities. I thank Chairman Thompson for his leadership on this task force, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address this pressing issue.” 

“Gun violence is a massive threat to our communities, from mass shootings like Nashville to the daily gun violence that takes the lives of over 100 Americans every day. It is essential that new leaders in Congress are involved in gun violence prevention. I am thrilled to have Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan join the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force," said Thompson. "Jennifer will be a great addition to the Task Force and will help us champion the common sense gun violence prevention measures that will help save lives in Virginia and our country."

The House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force is a bipartisan group of lawmakers working to find common-sense solutions to reduce gun violence in the United States. The Task Force was formed in the aftermath of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School and has been instrumental in passing several gun violence prevention measures. The Task Force numbered over 180 members of Congress in the 117th Congress. The Gun Violence Prevention Task Force played a leadership role in securing the most significant gun violence prevention legislation in 30 years with the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, higher funding to run the background checks program and research gun violence, and programs to break the cycle of violence.

Congresswoman McClellan has been an outspoken advocate for gun violence prevention and stricter gun laws to protect communities. Last week, she spoke at a Democratic Caucus press conference about the need to address the gun violence epidemic and its contributing factors, including the mental health crisis in America. She is also a cosponsor of H.R. 698, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2023 and H.R. 1699 to establish the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. While in the Virginia General Assembly, she fought for commonsense solutions to reduce gun violence, including legislation to account for lost or stolen firearms, reinstate Virginia’s “one-gun-a-month rule,”implement universal background checks, allow localities to prohibit guns in certain public spaces, and establish a Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund to invest in community based programs combating the root causes of gun violence.

Learn more about the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force here.

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