How a Bipartisan Duo of Young Lawmakers is Addressing Gun Violence

In the aftermath of the recent mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, there has been much talk of gun violence prevention, but two of MAP’s Congressional Future Caucus (CFC) leaders are putting talk into action. Reaching across the aisle, they’re working together to create concrete solutions that help us better understand and prevent similar tragedies in the future. And as if we needed further proof of the power of social media, this bipartisan deal was struck via Twitter.

CFC Vice Chair Rep. Stephanie Murphy, a Democrat representing Florida’s 7th Congressional District, introduced legislation to lift the ban on the Centers for Disease Control studies on gun violence (known as the “Dickey Amendment”).

Rep. Murphy subsequently tweeted about her proposal, which caught the eye of CFC Co-Chair—and fellow Florida representative—Rep. Carlos Curbelo, a Republican Congressman from the 26th Congressional District. Rep. Curbelo replied to Murphy’s tweet, showing his support, and immediately signed onto her bill as the first Republican co-sponsor.

Since then, the bill has continued to gain steam. Fellow Future Caucus member Rep. Ryan Costello became the fourth Republican to sign on—accelerating the bipartisan momentum behind the effort.

Future Caucus members are leading by example as they tackle America’s toughest issues by being willing to have an open, respectful dialogue across the aisle. They prove that young leaders can transcend the partisan divide and build consensus to find solutions to our nation’s most crucial — and divisive — problems.