IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 879 

Expressing support for the designation of November 20, 2023, through December 20, 2023, as ‘‘National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness 

Month’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 17, 2023 

Ms. PRESSLEY (for herself, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Ms. BUSH, Ms. SCANLON, Mr. TONKO, Mr. BOWMAN, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. COSTA, Ms. 

BARRAGA ́N, and Mr. SWALWELL) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of November 20, 

2023, through December 20, 2023, as ‘‘National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas the United States faces a national public health crisis of gun violence; 

Whereas, on average, more than 13,000 homicides each year 

continue to rob families and communities of loved ones; 

Whereas homicides increased by 30 percent in 2020, 

compounding the many deaths caused by COVID–19; 

Whereas for every 1 homicide victim, there are at least 10 

surviving family members, and the number of survivors 


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•HRES 879 IH 

of homicide victims grows exponentially each year as they 

navigate life after the tragic loss of their loved one; 

Whereas homicide victims are loved and grieved by family 

members, friends, neighbors, classmates, colleagues, and 

communities across the country; 

Whereas, in the United States, almost 1 in 4 adults who are 

Black or Latinx report having lost a loved one to gunrelated homicide; 

Whereas losing a loved one to homicide is one of the most 

traumatic events an individual can experience; 

Whereas, in the United States, homicide is the leading cause 

of death for Black teenagers and the second leading 

cause of death for teenagers overall; 

Whereas more than 1⁄2 of women who are victims of homicides are killed because of intimate partner violence; 

Whereas 40 percent of homicides in the United States go unsolved; 

Whereas homicide results in chronic physical and behavioral 

health consequences that carry significant behavioral and 

economic burdens on families and communities impacted 

by murder, trauma, grief, and loss; 

Whereas all families of homicide victims deserve to be treated 

with dignity and compassion; 

Whereas surviving family members need holistic, coordinated, 

compassionate, and consistent support and services in the 

immediate aftermath of a homicide and ongoing opportunities for healing in the months and years afterward; 

Whereas surviving family members want to remember and 

honor the lives of their loved ones regardless of the circumstances surrounding their death; 


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•HRES 879 IH 

Whereas survivors of homicide victims are transforming their 

pain into purpose by informing, influencing, and impacting public policy, and working to create and sustain an 

environment where all families can live in peace and all 

people are valued; 

Whereas survivors, advocates, and providers are working together to implement equitable and effective communitybased responses to homicide; 

Whereas the leadership of surviving family and community 

members is essential to disrupting cycles of violence and 

promoting peace in all communities; and 

Whereas recognition of the needs of survivors can help combat trauma, foster healing, and inform joy for families 

and communities impacted by homicide: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses support for the designation of 

3 ‘‘National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness 

4 Month’’; 

5 (2) supports efforts to— 

6 (A) raise awareness of survivors of homi7 cide victims; 

8 (B) support survivors of homicide victims, 

9 including families, schools, and communities, 

10 with support services and information; and 

11 (C) encourage research to— 


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•HRES 879 IH 

1 (i) better address the needs of families 

2 and communities severely impacted by vio3 lence; and 

4 (ii) consider ways to improve access 

5 to, and the quality of, behavioral health 

6 services for survivors of homicide victims; 

7 and 

8 (3) calls on the people of the United States, in9 terest groups, and affected persons— 

10 (A) to promote awareness of survivors of 

11 homicide victims; 

12 (B) to take an active role in the fight to 

13 end gun violence and homicide; 

14 (C) to respond to all families suffering in 

15 the aftermath of homicide with consistency, 

16 compassion, and competence and by centering 

17 the principles of love, unity, faith, hope, cour18 age, justice, and forgiveness; and 

19 (D) to observe National Survivors of 

20 Homicide Victims Awareness Month with ap21 propriate activities. 

Æ 


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