To bring attention to the issue of gun violence, Americans are encouraged to wear orange on June 2^nd – what would’ve been Hadiya Pendleton’s 20^th birthday

Boston – Senator Edward J. Markey joined Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) joined together to introduce a resolution in the House and Senate establishing June 2^nd as “National Gun Violence Awareness Day” and designating June as “National Gun Violence Awareness Month.”  Every day in America, an average of around 300 men, women, and children are shot, 93 of them fatally.  Establishing a day to bring attention to the issue of gun violence honors the thousands of Americans who are victims of gun violence every year, including Hadiya Pendleton who was shot and killed in Chicago, Illinois on January 29, 2013.  The resolution also urges citizens and community leaders to concentrate heightened attention on gun violence during June, when gun violence typically spikes at the start of the summer months, and to work together to make our communities safer from this violence.   

Senators cosponsoring the resolution include: U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Tim Kaine (D-VA).

Representatives cosponsoring the resolution include: U.S. Representatives Tony Cardenas (D-CA-29), Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA-44), Donald S. Beyer Jr. (D-VA-08), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA-05), Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO-01), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-05), Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07), Diana DeGette (D-CO-01), Val Butler Demings (D-FL-10), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH-11), Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL-04), Ro Khanna (D-CA-17), James R. Langevin (D-RI-02), Brenda L. Lawrence (D-MI-14), Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-NJ-10), Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI), Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA-02), Bobby L. Rush (D-IL-01), Bradley Scott Schneider (D-IL-10), Terri A. Sewell (D-AL-07), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS-02), Mike Thompson (D-CA-05), Norma J. Torres (D-CA-35), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12).

Gun violence is an issue that affects communities in every state across the country.  Each year, more than 32,000 people in America are killed and 80,000 are injured by gunfire.  On June 2, 2017, people across the nation will join together in the third annual “National Gun Violence Awareness Day” and will wear the color orange to bring attention to the issue of gun violence.