Where Both Parties Could Work Together to Address America’s Gun Violence Epidemic

Now with the election behind us, newly elected members of Congress must find ways to work together to deliver results on behalf of an American electorate that turned out in record numbers to participate in our democracratic process. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage throughout the American landscape and with millions of Americans still out of work, there is no shortage of challenges ahead for the 117th Congress. But one aspect that must not be overlooked is the epidemic of American gun violence that kills nearly 40,000 Americans each year.

As we are still learning the lessons from the 2020 elections, there is one thing that hasn’t really been discussed. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and their gun lobby allies were virtually a non-factor. After spending record amounts of money four years ago to elect Donald Trump and Republicans, they were sidelined in 2020 by financial and legal corruption scandals. They have become politically and culturally irrelevant and outdated, losing clout and influence across Washington — even in Republican circles.

It is time for Democrats and Republicans to move into a new reality — a new era of bipartisanship around gun violence prevention and pass policies that are overwhelmingly supported by voters of both parties. Public data…