Amnesty International USA’s Campaign Manager for Ending Gun Violence, Ernest Coverson issued the following statement in response to the passage yesterday of H.R. 4118, the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives:
“The passage of the Break the Cycle of Violence Act is an important step toward addressing violence across our country that disproportionately impacts communities of color. For example, African American men and boys aged 15-34 are 10 times more likely to be the victims of gun homicides than white males in the same age group. Under-resourced communities and organizations across the country are now a step closer to addressing the violence epidemic with the needed dollars – making a difference in the lives of everyday people. But we also need to combine this with action to limit access to firearms, particularly assault weapons. Weapons of war should never be in the hands of civilians.”