Klobuchar has led legislation to close the boyfriend loophole since 2013

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Bipartisan Safe Communities Act to address gun violence. This legislation includes provisions from Klobuchar’s bill to close the “boyfriend loophole.”

“Passing this bipartisan legislation is an important step forward as we work to address gun violence. I am especially pleased it includes provisions from a bill I have led for almost a decade to close the boyfriend loophole, which will keep guns out of the hands of abusive dating partners convicted of domestic violence. We have seen in the states that have already closed the boyfriend loophole that domestic homicide rates have been reduced. 

“This bipartisan legislation also includes several other provisions that will help keep Americans safe from gun violence, from cracking down on straw purchases and increasing funding for mental health services to strengthening background checks for people under the age of 21. These long overdue reforms will help save lives.”

Since 2013, Klobuchar has led the Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act to close the “boyfriend loophole” and prevent abusive dating partners from buying or owning firearms. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI) leads the bill in the House. The Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act is co-sponsored by 38 senators, and provisions from the bill were included in Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act, which passed the House in March 2021 with the support of 29 Republicans.  

In 2018, Klobuchar and former Senator Orrin Hatch’s (R-UT) bipartisan STOP School Violence Act was signed into law. This legislation established a grant program at the Department of Justice to provide funding for schools to invest in early intervention and prevention programs and school safety improvements.

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