Reps. Kelly, Frost Lead Letter to Trump Demanding to Reopen White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
WASHINGTON – U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly (IL-02) and Maxwell Frost (FL-10) led a letter with 67 of their colleagues to President Donald Trump demanding that he reopen the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention (WHOGVP). President Trump abruptly closed the Office less than 24 hours into his second term.
“The efforts of WHOGVP focused on fighting the root causes of gun violence and responding to emergencies,” members wrote in the letter. “We understand that your administration has reservations about firearm regulation; however, WHOGVP was primarily focused on addressing causes of gun violence unrelated to firearm ownership. If you decide to reopen WHOGVP, the focus can remain on emergency response and community violence intervention programs that complement law enforcement’s efforts to reduce and prevent violence in communities.
“Gun violence remains a significant concern in our nation, with more than 300 Americans being shot every day. The elimination of this office threatens to reverse the progress we have made in reducing gun-related incidents and undermines the safety of our communities.”
Gun homicides rose by 34% under Trump’s first administration. Reps. Kelly and Frost also held a press conference yesterday with community violence intervention leaders to defend gun safety policies and funding.