WHEREAS, According to estimates from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2016, eight children and teens per day on average were injured or killed from the unintentional discharge of a firearm; and

WHEREAS, There are 1.7 million children in the United States who live in homes with loaded and unlocked guns; and

WHEREAS, In states that collect data through the National Violent Death Reporting System, on average, 80 percent of unintentional firearm deaths of children under 15 years of age occurred in a home; and

WHEREAS, The ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Campaign encourages parents to add a question to a conversation before their child visits other homes, “Is there a gun in your house?” and following affirmative answers with, “Is it locked and unloaded?”; and

WHEREAS, Asking these simple questions about gun safety before sending your child to visit or play at another home could help save your child’s life; and

WHEREAS, Asking these questions will raise awareness of the need for safe storage of guns in the home as a proven and effective preventative safety measure; and

WHEREAS, Asking these questions will prevent incidents of family fire in which an improperly stored or misused gun results in injury or death; and

WHEREAS, The ASK Campaign was first established with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in 2000, and is currently administered by the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence; and

WHEREAS, The president of the AAP has said, “Keeping children and teens safe from preventable injuries is one of the most important things we do as pediatricians.”; and

WHEREAS, A November 2017 United States Government Accountability Office report, “Personal Firearms: Programs that Promote Safe Storage and Research on Their Effectiveness,” identified 16 public or nonprofit programs that promote safe gun storage, including the ASK Campaign, and reported that the ASK Campaign was the only national program to be evaluated and validated as effective; and

WHEREAS, The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, its more than 100 chapters in a majority of states throughout the nation, and its many local, state, and national partners come together to highlight the ASK Campaign each year in communities across the country; and

WHEREAS, June 21, the first day of summer, the season in which kids typically spend more time at a friend’s or family member’s home, has traditionally been designated as National ASK Day; and

WHEREAS, June 21, 2018, is designated by national organizations and local and state governments as the 15th annual National ASK Day; now, therefore, be it