Blumenthal to Hold Hearing on Protecting Domestic Violence Survivors From Gun Violence

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, will convene a hearing on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 2:30 PM titled “Stop Gun Violence: The Jackson-Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act.” The hearing is the fourth in a series Blumenthal is holding to examine constitutional and commonsense efforts to prevent gun violence.

The Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act would protect millions of women and men nationwide by closing dangerous loopholes in federal law that allow domestic abusers to legally obtain weapons. Under current law, abusers may legally purchase firearms if they are subject to a temporary – not permanent – restraining order. Other gaps in current law, such as the “Boyfriend Loophole” and the “Stalking Loophole” which allow dating partners with misdemeanor domestic violence convictions and those with misdemeanor stalking convictions to obtain firearms, would also be closed by this legislation.

The bill is named in memory of Lori Jackson, an Oxford, Connecticut mother of two who was tragically shot and killed by her estranged husband who had legally obtained a handgun even though he was subject to a temporary restraining order, and Nicolette Elias, an Oregon mother of two who secured restraining and temporary stalking orders against her former spouse but was killed with a handgun that he refused to relinquish.

“Gaping loopholes in our current laws put domestic violence survivors and their families at risk,” said Blumenthal. “The facts are simple – domestic violence is five times more deadly when there is a gun in the house. This legislation would honor Lori Jackson, Nicolette Elias, and the countless other domestic violence victims whose lives could have been saved by this common sense measure. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about the need for strengthened protections and the importance of keeping firearms out of the hands of abusers.”

The hearing will include testimony from:

• Kacey Jackson, sister of Lori Jackson;
• Roberta Valente, Policy Consultant at the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence; and
• Holly Sullivan, President of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League.

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