Pass the Break the Cycle of Violence Act (H.R 5003/S. 2638)

I am writing today as your constituent to urge you to pass the Break the Cycle of Violence Act (H.R 5003/S. 2638). Everyone deserves to feel safe in their communities, and yet every 11 minutes, there’s a fatal shooting in the United States. That is unacceptable. This public health crisis is destroying families and costing our nation $557 billion every year, in addition to the emotional cost of not having loved ones home safe and sound. Our communities are hurting. We need to do everything we can to stop the violence before it happens. The Break the Cycle of Violence Act would provide federal grants for community violence intervention programs that are proven to reduce gun violence. These programs foster collaboration between residents and officials to address neighborhoods’ unique needs. They expand economic opportunities to communities facing hardships and engage individuals at the highest risk of being affected by violence, thus breaking the cycle. Despite these programs having existed in communities across the country for years and demonstrating success, they continue to experience inadequate funding. By passing the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, you can save lives and ensure more communities are free from gun violence.