Congressman Maxwell Frost, Joins Rep. Escobar, Sen. Casey and Bicameral Coalition to Introduce Disarm Hate Act
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Representatives Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), and Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), joined by Representatives James Clyburn (SC-06), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Brian Higgins (NY-26), John Garamendi (CA-08), Katie Porter (CA-47) Nikema Williams (GA-06), and Summer Lee (PA-12) introduced the Disarm Hate Act to prevent individuals convicted of violent misdemeanor hate crimes from purchasing or possessing firearms.
The Disarm Hate Act would address the dangerous gap in current federal law by providing that individuals who have been convicted of a misdemeanor-level hate crime or received an enhanced sentence for a misdemeanor crime after a judicial finding that they acted with hate or bias motivation, are prohibited from buying or possessing guns.
"Seven years after the tragedy at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando and only weeks after the deadly shooting in Jacksonville that left three Black Floridians dead -- my home state of Florida has seen and lived through some of the darkest instances of gun-enabled hate at the cost of innocent lives," said Rep. Frost. "People with a criminal history of hate and violence in their hearts should not be able to access a gun to commit the next mass shooting. The Disarm Hate Act is a critical step we must take to end gun violence in Florida and across our country and spark change from tragedy."
"Four years after a white supremacist came to El Paso to slaughter Mexicans and immigrants in what was the deadliest targeted attack against Latinos in modern American history, hatred against Hispanics and migrants undoubtedly persists,” said Rep. Escobar. “Hate and bigotry, coupled with easy access to weapons of war, make for a terrifying and deadly combination. Too many communities - including my own - know the consequences all too well. As legislators, we have a solemn obligation to act and prevent further gun violence atrocities. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing critical legislation to keep firearms out of the hands of those who should never have them.”
“People who have been convicted of hate crimes should not have access to firearms. It’s that simple,” Senator Casey said. “I’m introducing the Disarm Hate Act because it’s commonsense to keep guns out of the hands of people seeking to commit acts of hateful violence.”
“Violent extremists and hate-motivated offenders pose serious threats to the safety of historically marginalized communities, and easy access to firearms makes it more likely that a hate crime will have a fatal outcome. Hate-motivated offenders have committed some of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history and even when they do not fire guns, they consistently use them to threaten, intimidate, and humiliate their victims. We applaud Senator Casey, Rep. Escobar, and Rep. Frost for introducing the Disarm Hate Act to respond to the growing tide of violent hate crimes and to help prevent these tragedies before they happen,” said Nick Wilson, Senior Director of Gun Violence Prevention, Center for American Progress.
The Disarm Hate Act is endorsed by National Violence Domestic Hotline, Amnesty International USA, Everytown, Brady, The United Methodist Church, The Violence Policy Center, March for Our Lives, WOLA, ADL, AFT, Giffords, Human Rights Campaign, and Sandy Hook Promise.
All original co-leads represent states and districts that have been impacted by hate-motivated mass shootings.
In June 2015, a white supremacist murdered nine worshippers during a bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
In June 2016, a gunman attacked a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, leaving 49 people dead and 53 others injured.
In October 2018, 11 worshippers were killed and seven others injured during an attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In August 2019, a man killed 23 victims and wounded 23 others in a shooting in a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, admitting to targeting Mexicans.
In March 2021, a gunman killed eight victims on a shooting rampage through three spas in Atlanta, Georgia, six of whom were Asian American women.
In February 2022, a gunman with a history of expressing support for Nazis and Proud Boys groups opened fire at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Portland, Oregon, killing 1 and injuring 5 others.
In May 2022, a self-described supporter of white supremacy killed 10 people in a supermarket in a predominately Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York.
In May 2022, a Nevada man carried firearms into a Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, shooting and killing one congregant and injuring five others with gunfire in an attempt to kill all 44 parishioners. The man allegedly targeted the church because of the congregants’ national origin and religion.
In August 2023, an individual tore down the pride flag in a Southern California store while yelling homophobic slurs. When the store owner confronted the individual, he shot and killed her. The assailant had a history of anti-LGBTQI+ posts on social media, and the incident is now being investigated as a hate crime.
Full text of the bill can be found here.
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