Washington, DC – This week, the House of Representatives voted to pass the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, legislation that will help build safer, thriving, communities and save lives by investing in effective community-based violence reduction initiatives. Representative Lucy McBath (D-GA-06) joined Representatives Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-AL), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), and community organizations for a press conference following the vote.

“Ever since I came to Congress, I made a promise that I would spend every day fighting to protect our children and to give them the chance to grow and thrive in ways my son Jordan never got to,” said McBath. “Thank you to my colleagues and our partner organizations for their diligence in working to stop the cycle of violence at its core and where it begins. Together, we can help Break the Cycle of Violence that is killing our children and tearing our families apart. Together, we can help prevent more parents from the pain that comes with burying a child–the pain that comes every year on Jordan’s birthday. Together, we can help save American lives.”

In 2020, the United States suffered the largest single-year spike in homicides on record, driven largely by record spikes in fatal shootings. Nationwide, 75 percent of all homicides are committed with a gun. In studies of some urban hospitals, researchers have found that up to 45 percent of patients treated for injuries like gunshots were violently reinjured within five years, disproportionately young people of color. The Break the Cycle of Violence Act authorizes $6.5 billion over 8 years to invest in effective community-based violence intervention programs and provide jobs to opportunity youth between the ages of 16-24. Companion legislation is led by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ).