Rep. Lewis introduces Child Protection and Home Safety Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.—February 22, 2005 – U.S. Rep. Ron Lewis (KY-02) announced today the introduction of The Child Protection and Home Safety Act of 2005 (HR 947), legislation that will offer tax credits to individuals who purchase theft resistant residential gun safes for the safe storage of firearms.

“Gun safety is an issue that unites people from all ideologies concerned with protecting the welfare of children and securing homes,” said Lewis. “We have all read tragic stories in our local papers about gun accidents as a result of misuse. As lawmakers we can better promote safety and responsibility by encouraging gun owners to purchase gun safes to store firearms and keep them from falling into the wrong hands.”

The Child Protection and Home Safety Act will provide individuals a 25% tax credit on the cost of a gun safe up to the amount of $250.

A bipartisan collection of Members of Congress have committed early support to the bill. In a joint statement to congressional colleagues, Rep. Lewis and Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) wrote, “We believe this incentive is an important way to better encourage the use of safes, advancing our shared goal of reducing cases of theft, accidental injury and death because of irresponsible firearm storage.”

In addition to growing bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives, The National Gun Safe Coalition has joined the effort with their endorsement of the bill. “Gun safes are the only method of securing firearms from unauthorized access,” said National Gun Safe Coalition Representative Caren Turner. “Anything else gives purchasers a false sense of security.”

Nearly one-third of all violent crime in the United States is committed with guns stolen from the homes of law abiding Americans.