Everytown For Gun Safety Statement on Rep. Fred Upton Not Seeking Re-Election

WASHINGTON — Today, Everytown for Gun Safety issued the following statement after Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) announced that he would not be seeking re-election in 2022.

“Over his decades of service in Congress, Rep. Upton has been living proof that gun safety is not a partisan issue,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “We’re grateful for Fred’s tireless work to pass common-sense gun legislation, and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”

Rep. Upton had the courage and the conviction to work across the aisle to find common-sense solutions to gun violence that save lives. He was a leader and an original cosponsor of H.R. 8, the bipartisan legislation requiring background checks on all gun sales, which passed the House earlier this Congress. He voted in favor of the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization Act of 2021, which would have closed the boyfriend loophole, and co-sponsored legislation to ensure state and local law enforcement are notified when someone lies on a background check in an effort to illegally buy a gun. That policy – known as NICS Denials Notification – was signed into law by President Joe Biden last month as part of the VAWA reauthorization in the omnibus funding bill. After the Parkland shooting, Rep. Upton also worked with a bipartisan coalition on legislation that would have provided federal funding to states with extreme risk protection order laws, or red flag laws, which give law enforcement a tool to intervene when someone poses a threat to themselves or others.

We thank Rep. Upton for his service and look forward to working with him on critical gun safety issues in the future.