Dear Representatives Levin and Lawler,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for H.R. 2770, the “Prevent Family Fire Act.”
In 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that gun injuries had become the primary cause of death among children and teenagers, surpassing car accidents for the first time. This trend has continued to worsen as instances of gun injuries are increasing across younger demographics. In many cases, the common denominator of these tragic events, whether self-inflicted or otherwise, is the failure to securely store firearms within safe storage devices.
Your legislation addresses this issue by encouraging proper firearm storage by offering a tax credit to retailers for the sale of safe storage devices such as safes, trigger locks, and lock boxes. This credit will be equivalent to ten percent of the overall sale with a maximum credit of $40, which will organically lower the price of the safe storage device. Aside from lowering the price, this measure also further incentivizes retailers to expand their promotion and sales of safe storage devices which will help reduce unintentional discharges, suicides, and shootings that are the result of unsafe handling practices.
On behalf of the more than 373,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I thank you two for your leadership on this issue. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President