Gun Control

May 2018

Civil & Human Rights

Women’s Health

Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. deplores the on-going scourge of shootings plaguing our schools, workplaces and communities nationwide. We believe that the widespread availability of, and easy access to, firearms significantly escalates this violence.

Hadassah has long been a strong supporter of strict legislative gun control initiatives and believes that current laws do not go far enough, nor are enforced rigorously enough, to help prevent gun violence.

Therefore, Hadassah reaffirms and expands the scope of the original 1981 gun control policy statement, which urged additional federal and state legislation to provide stronger gun control laws. Hadassah urges Congress and state legislatures to immediately enact stronger gun control legislation, including a ban on assault weapons, and ensuring more consistent enforcement of current laws, that will protect our communities and our nation. Specific legislative changes that Hadassah supports include: raising the minimum age for purchase of a firearm from 18 to 21, requiring a mandatory waiting period for purchase, implementing universal background checks, and mandatory seizure of household guns when an emergency restraining order is issued for domestic violence.

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Hadassah's Policy Statements represent the organization's official stance on a wide variety of issues facing our nation, Israel and other international matters of concern. Policy Statements are debated and voted on at national meetings by Hadassah’s national board and delegates from our membership. Once approved, statements become official policies of the organization and serve to define Hadassah's overall agenda and advocacy priorities. Hadassah, as a charitable organization classified under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, is prohibited from any direct or indirect support of, or opposition to, candidates for public office.