I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3962 
To establish a Federal Advisory Council to Support Victims of Gun Violence. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 9, 2023 
Mr. EVANS (for himself, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. CROCKETT, Ms. WILD, Mr. 
MOSKOWITZ, Mr. BEYER, Ms. NORTON, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Mr. 
JACKSON
of Illinois, Ms. LEE
of California, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. 
BARRAGA´N, Ms. TITUS, Ms. BALINT, Ms. TOKUDA, Mr. BOYLE of Penn-
sylvania, Ms. BROWN, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Ms. LOFGREN, Mrs. WATSON 
COLEMAN, 
Mr. 
MCGOVERN, 
Mrs. 
CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK, 
Ms. 
BROWNLEY, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. CASTEN, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. 
MOULTON, Mrs. FOUSHEE, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms. 
CLARKE of New York, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, and Mr. SCHIFF) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To establish a Federal Advisory Council to Support Victims 
of Gun Violence. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Resources for Victims 
of Gun Violence Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:57 Jun 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3962.IH
H3962
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(1) ADVISORY COUNCIL.—The term ‘‘Advisory 
Council’’ means the Advisory Council to Support 
Victims of Gun Violence established under section 3. 
(2) APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES.—The term 
‘‘appropriate committees’’ means the following: 
(A) The Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate. 
(B) The Committee on the Judiciary of the 
Senate. 
(C) The Committee on Education and the 
Workforce of the House of Representatives. 
(D) The Committee on Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives. 
(E) The Committee on the Judiciary of the 
House of Representatives. 
(F) Any other relevant committee of the 
Senate or of the House of Representatives with 
jurisdiction over matters affecting victims of 
gun violence. 
(3) GUN VIOLENCE.—The term ‘‘gun violence’’ 
means— 
(A) suicide involving firearms; 
(B) homicide involving firearms; 
(C) domestic violence involving firearms; 
(D) hate crimes involving firearms; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:57 Jun 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3962.IH
H3962
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(E) youth violence involving firearms; 
(F) mass shootings; 
(G) unintentional shootings; 
(H) non-fatal shootings; and 
(I) threats or exposure to violent acts in-
volving firearms. 
(4) VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROFESSIONAL.—The 
term ‘‘victim assistance professional’’ means a pro-
fessional who assists victims of gun violence, includ-
ing— 
(A) a medical professional, including an 
emergency medical professional; 
(B) a social worker; 
(C) a provider of long-term services or 
care; and 
(D) a victim advocate. 
(5) VICTIM OF GUN VIOLENCE.—The term ‘‘vic-
tim of gun violence’’ means— 
(A) an individual who has been wounded 
as a result of gun violence; 
(B) an individual who has been threatened 
with an act of gun violence; 
(C) an individual who has witnessed an act 
of gun violence; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:57 Jun 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3962.IH
H3962
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(D) a relative, classmate, coworker, or 
other associate of— 
(i) an individual who has been killed 
as a result of gun violence; or 
(ii) an individual described in sub-
paragraph (A) or (B). 
SEC. 3. ADVISORY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT VICTIMS OF GUN 
VIOLENCE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established an Advi-
sory Council to Support Victims of Gun Violence. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Advisory Council shall 
be composed of the following members or their des-
ignees: 
(A) The Secretary of Health and Human 
Services. 
(B) The Attorney General. 
(C) The Secretary of Education. 
(D) The Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development. 
(E) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(F) The Commissioner of Social Security. 
(G) The Assistant Secretary for Mental 
Health and Substance Use. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:57 Jun 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3962.IH
H3962
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(H) The Director of the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention. 
(I) The Director of the National Institutes 
of Health. 
(J) The Administrator of the Administra-
tion for Community Living. 
(K) The Director of the Office on Violence 
Against Women. 
(L) The Director of the Office for Victims 
of Crime. 
(M) The chairman of the Board of the 
Legal Services Corporation. 
(N) As appropriate, the head of any other 
Federal department or agency identified by the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services as 
having responsibilities, or administering pro-
grams, relating to issues affecting victims of 
gun violence. 
(2) ADDITIONAL MEMBERS.—In addition to the 
members described in paragraph (1), the Advisory 
Council shall be composed of the following: 
(A) Not fewer than 2 and not more than 
5 victims of gun violence, who shall be ap-
pointed by the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:57 Jun 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3962.IH
H3962
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(B) Not fewer than 2 and not more than 
5 victim assistance professionals, who shall be 
appointed by the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services. 
(3) LEAD AGENCY.—The Department of Health 
and Human Services shall be the lead agency for the 
Advisory Council. 
(c) DUTIES.— 
(1) 
ASSESSMENT.—The 
Advisory 
Council 
shall— 
(A) survey victims of gun violence and vic-
tim assistance professionals about their needs 
in order to inform the content of information 
disseminated under paragraph (2) and the re-
port published under paragraph (3); 
(B) conduct a literature review and assess 
past or ongoing programs designed to assist vic-
tims of gun violence or individuals with similar 
needs to determine— 
(i) the effectiveness of the programs; 
and 
(ii) best and promising practices for 
assisting victims of gun violence; and 
(C) assess the administration of compensa-
tion funds established after mass shootings to 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:57 Jun 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3962.IH
H3962
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
determine best and promising practices to di-
rect victims of gun violence to sources of fund-
ing. 
(2) INFORMATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Advisory Council 
shall identify, promote, coordinate, and dissemi-
nate to the public information, resources, and 
best and promising practices available to help 
victims of gun violence— 
(i) meet their medical, financial, edu-
cational, workplace, housing, transpor-
tation, assistive technology, and accessi-
bility needs; 
(ii) maintain their mental health and 
emotional well-being; 
(iii) seek legal redress for their inju-
ries and protection against any ongoing 
threats to their safety; and 
(iv) access government programs, 
services, and benefits for which they may 
be eligible or to which they may be enti-
tled. 
(B) CONTACT
INFORMATION.—The Advi-
sory Council shall include in the information 
disseminated under subparagraph (A) the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:57 Jun 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3962.IH
H3962
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
websites and telephone contact information for 
helplines of relevant Federal agencies, State 
agencies, and nonprofit organizations. 
(C) AVAILABILITY.—The Advisory Council 
shall make the information described in sub-
paragraphs (A) and (B) available— 
(i) online through a public website; 
and 
(ii) by submitting a hard copy and 
making available additional hard copies 
to— 
(I) each Member of Congress; 
(II) each field office of the Social 
Security Administration; 
(III) each State agency that is 
responsible for administering health 
and human services, for dissemination 
to medical facilities; 
(IV) each State agency that is re-
sponsible for administering education 
programs, 
for 
dissemination 
to 
schools; and 
(V) the office of each State attor-
ney general, for dissemination to local 
prosecutor’s offices. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:57 Jun 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3962.IH
H3962
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(3) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Advisory 
Council shall— 
(A) prepare a report that— 
(i) includes the best and promising 
practices, resources, and other useful infor-
mation for victims of gun violence identi-
fied under paragraph (2); 
(ii) identifies any gaps in items de-
scribed in clause (i); and 
(iii) if applicable, identifies any addi-
tional Federal or State legislative authority 
necessary to implement the activities de-
scribed in clause (i) or address the gaps 
described in clause (ii); 
(B) submit the report prepared under sub-
paragraph (A) to— 
(i) the appropriate committees; 
(ii) each State agency that is respon-
sible for administering health and human 
services; 
(iii) each State agency that is respon-
sible for administering education pro-
grams; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:57 Jun 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3962.IH
H3962
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(iv) the office of each State attorney 
general; and 
(C) make the report prepared under sub-
paragraph (A) available to the public online in 
an accessible format. 
(4) FOLLOW-UP
REPORT.—Not later than 2 
years after the date on which the Advisory Council 
prepares the report under paragraph (3), the Advi-
sory Council shall— 
(A) submit to the entities described in sub-
paragraph (B) of that paragraph a follow-up re-
port that includes the information identified in 
subparagraph (A) of that paragraph; and 
(B) make the follow-up report described in 
subparagraph (A) available to the public online 
in an accessible format. 
(5) PUBLIC INPUT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Advisory Council 
shall establish a process to collect public input 
to inform the development of, and provide up-
dates to, the best and promising practices, re-
sources, and other information described in 
paragraph (2), including by conducting out-
reach to entities and individuals described in 
subparagraph (B) of this paragraph that— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:57 Jun 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3962.IH
H3962
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(i) have a range of experience with the 
types of gun violence described in section 
2(3); and 
(ii) include representation from com-
munities disproportionately affected by gun 
violence. 
(B) ENTITIES AND INDIVIDUALS.—The en-
tities and individuals described in this subpara-
graph are— 
(i) States, local governments, and or-
ganizations that provide information to, or 
support for, victims of gun violence; 
(ii) victims of gun violence; and 
(iii) victim assistance professionals. 
(C) NATURE
OF
OUTREACH.—In con-
ducting outreach under subparagraph (A), the 
Advisory Council shall ask for input on— 
(i) information, resources, and best 
and promising practices available, includ-
ing identification of any gaps and unmet 
needs; 
(ii) recommendations that would help 
victims of gun violence— 
(I) better meet their medical, fi-
nancial, educational, workplace, hous-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:57 Jun 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3962.IH
H3962
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
ing, transportation, assistive tech-
nology, and accessibility needs; 
(II) maintain their mental health 
and emotional well-being; 
(III) seek legal redress for their 
injuries and protection against any 
ongoing threats to their safety; and 
(IV) 
access 
government 
pro-
grams, services, and benefits for 
which the victims may be eligible or to 
which the victims may be entitled; and 
(iii) any other subject areas discovered 
during the process that would help victims 
of gun violence. 
(d) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—Chapter 
10 of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the 
Advisory Council. 
(e) FUNDING.—No additional funds are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this Act. 
(f) SUNSET.—The Advisory Council shall terminate 
on the date that is 5 years after the date of establishment 
of the Advisory Council. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:57 Jun 28, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3962.IH
H3962
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS