H.Res. 837

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 837 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 837

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
relationship between firearm violence and intimate partner violence and 
to honor the memory of Gladys Ricart and other victims of intimate 
partner homicide killed by firearms, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 28, 2025

Mr. Espaillat submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary

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RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
relationship between firearm violence and intimate partner violence and 
to honor the memory of Gladys Ricart and other victims of intimate 
partner homicide killed by firearms, and for other purposes.

Whereas domestic violence perpetrated with a firearm disproportionately affects 
millions of American adults and children, with a particular impact on 
women;
Whereas, according to recent data, nearly 92 percent of women killed by firearms 
in high-income countries in an average year are from the United States;
Whereas firearms are used in nearly 66 percent of cases where women are killed 
by their intimate partners;
Whereas, every month, an average of 70 women are killed with a firearm by an 
intimate partner;
Whereas an American woman is killed with a firearm by a current or former 
partner around every 12 hours;
Whereas approximately 59 percent of mass shootings in recent years were 
connected to instances of domestic or intimate partner violence;
Whereas only 16 percent of victims in domestic violence-related mass shootings 
survive such incidents compared to 37 percent of victims in mass 
shootings unrelated to domestic violence;
Whereas nearly 1 in 10 United States adults have experienced nonfatal firearm 
abuse at the hands of an intimate partner, such as being threatened 
directly with a firearm or by a partner who possessed or had easy access 
to a firearm;
Whereas, when an abusive partner has access to a firearm, a female victim of 
such abuse is 5 times more likely to be killed;
Whereas 77 percent of firearm intimate partner homicide victims are female;
Whereas the deadly intersection of firearms and intimate partner violence 
affects all women, but it has a disproportionate impact on Black women, 
American Indian/Alaska Native women, and Hispanic women in the United 
States;
Whereas 1 in 3 Hispanic women in the United States experience intimate partner 
violence during their lifetime;
Whereas more than half of American Indian and Alaska Native women experience 
physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime; and
Whereas, compared to non-Hispanic White women, Black women in the United States 
are 3 times more likely to be fatally shot by an intimate partner, and 
nearly 6 times more likely to be fatally shot between the ages of 18 and 
34: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That--
(1) the House of Representatives--
(A) recognizes the relationship between firearm 
violence and intimate partner violence;
(B) commends domestic violence victim advocates, 
domestic violence victim service providers, crisis 
hotline staff, and first responders serving victims of 
domestic violence for their compassionate support of 
survivors of domestic violence; and
(C) pledges to fund comprehensive research on the 
nexus of firearms and intimate partner violence, 
including the disproportionate impact on Black, 
American Indian/Alaska Native, and Hispanic people; and
(2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the Congress should--
(A) strengthen the National Instant Criminal 
Background Check System to keep firearms out of the 
hands of those who are prohibited from possessing them;
(B) restrict access to firearms by all people 
subject to domestic violence restraining orders;
(C) continue to support programs designed to assist 
survivors of domestic violence, hold perpetrators of 
domestic violence accountable, and bring an end to 
domestic violence;
(D) continue to support local relinquishment 
processes to ensure compliance with Federal firearm 
prohibitions in domestic violence cases; and
(E) immediately consider H.R. 4166, the 
Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and 
Stalking Survivors Act of 2025, H.R. 18, the Bipartisan 
Background Checks Act of 2025, and all other relevant 
legislation that is targeted toward reducing the risk 
of firearm violence, reducing the risk of intimate 
partner violence, and recognizing and combating the 
deadly relationship between the two.
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