Warner and Kaine Introduce Legislation to Safeguard Americans for the Scourge of Gun Violence

WASHINGTON — Today, on the 19th anniversary of the tragic shooting at Virginia Tech, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) introduced theVirginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence Act, legislation to enact at the federal level a series of commonsense gun violence prevention measures approved by Virginia’s elected officials.The bill includes provisions to mandate reporting of lost and stolen firearms, prevent children from accessing firearms, prohibit the sale of assault weapons, prohibit ghost guns, and implement a one-handgun-a-month policy.
“Nineteen years ago today, 32 people were tragically killed at Virginia Tech in a senseless act of violence. I was Governor of Virginia at the time, and my memories of the grieving families, friends, and Hokie community will stay with me forever. I’m proud of the Commonwealth’s leadership in taking steps to keep Virginians safe and prevent future tragedies in the years since,”said Kaine.“Far too many communities throughout the United States have been shattered by gun violence just as Blacksburg was. That’s why I’m introducing legislation to build on our progress and implement our strategies on the national level. We must build a world where everyone can go to school, work, their place of worship, a grocery store, or a festival without the fear of gun violence.”
“On the 19thanniversary of Virginia’s deadliest mass shooting, I’m joining my friend Sen. Kaine in introducing the Virginia Plan,”said Warner. “Too many families across the country have experienced gun violence. I am proud of the Commonwealth for leading the way in implementing commonsense gun reforms, and it’s time for the country to follow.”
TheVirginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence Act of 2026would build on Virginia’s commonsense framework to reduce gun violence through the following provisions:
Warner and Kaine have long supported gun safety measures to diminish gun violence. In 2025, the senators reintroduced theAssault Weapons Ban of 2025, legislation that would revive the 1994 nationwide ban on assault weapons two decades after the original ban expired in 2004. In 2022, Warner and Kaine helped pass theBipartisan Safer Communities Act, legislation that contains many provisions of the Virginia Plan, including improving background checks, strengthening safeguards for victims of domestic violence, and incentivizing states to implement their own Extreme Risk Protection Orders to remove firearms from individuals who pose a high risk of harming themselves or others.
Full bill text is availablehere.
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