ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Rep. Subramanyam pushes gun safety in U.S. preschools and campuses
Congressman Suhas Subramanyam highlighted that gun violence is the leading cause of death among children and adolescents.
-
Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Wed, 10, Jun 2026
- 01:48 EDT
- 38
Congressman Suhas Subramanyam / Wikimedia commons
Indian American U.S. Congressman Suhas Subramanyam has introduced a series of legislative measures to curb instances of gun violence at educational institutions, including preschools and university campuses.
Subramanyam announced his plans in a statement days after a teen victim, Jamario Baker, was gunned down at a high school commencement ceremony in the parking lot of California's Fairfield High School on June 3. Three others were injured during the incident, one of them an 11-year-old boy.
Talking about the need for his bill, the Virginia-native U.S. representative said, "Gun violence is the leading cause of death among children and adolescents, and every year, 46,000 Americans die from gun violence."
He continued, "Inaction isn't an option. All academic and child care-based campuses, including preschools, should require necessary protections against potential harm. But we also need to make sure that guns don't fall into the wrong hands through unauthorized access. We in Congress need to prioritize research and development of biometric technology that will make our communities safer."
Also Read: Krishnamoorthi, Subramanyam press USCIS on case delays
The first of the two-bill series, the Protect Every Preschooler Act, would prohibit the possession of a firearm on preschool and early childhood education campuses. Current gun safety regulations only cover K-12 campuses.
The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.).
Talking about this bill, Po Murray, chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance, said, "The Protect Every Preschooler Act closes a gap in federal law by extending gun-free school zone protections to preschools and early childhood education centers."
Murray added, "Our youngest learners deserve the same safeguards as K-12 students, and we applaud Congressman Subramanyam for taking this common-sense step to better protect children."
Rep. Subramanyam also introduced the Gun Safety Innovation Opportunity Act, which would create a federal grant program to support the development of gun safety technologies, including biometric systems such as fingerprint recognition that prevent unauthorized users from firing a weapon.
The legislation aims to address firearm theft and unauthorized access to guns, particularly among minors.
According to gun safety advocacy group Giffords, 70% to 90% of firearms used in youth suicides, accidental shootings involving children and school shootings committed by minors are obtained from homes or from relatives and friends.
The bill is co-sponsored by Eleanor Holmes Norton, Stephen Lynch, Ted Lieu and Dan Goldman.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
Related
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login