Press Release
Posted:
Woodland – This week, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) held a press conference at the Woodland Tractor Supply Company store to highlight the importance of safe storage for firearms and to celebrate the decision by the Commerce Department to lift the tariffs on various gun safes.
“There are tragic stories about children finding unsecured firearms and shooting themselves or others accidentally, and we know that the safe storage of firearms would help stop these instances and save lives,” said Thompson. “Glad to have Woodland Police Chief Derrek Kaff join me to discuss the importance of gun safes and how responsible gun owners can ensure that their firearms are properly secured. The recent decision by Commerce to lift tariffs on these gun safes will help save lives and keep firearms in secure locations.”
“Safe gun storage saves lives and helps to keep our communities safe. I’m grateful for Congressman Thompson’s leadership on this effort and know that many lives will be saved as a result,” said Woodland Police Chief Derrek Kaff.
“Millions of Tractor Supply customers and neighbors as well as our 52,000 Team Members are grateful for Rep Thompson’s leadership keeping high quality gun safes affordable and accessible for American families. His efforts clearly defined gun safes and prevented a huge price increase keeping safe gun storage within reach,” said Kent Knutson, Tractor Supply Co. Vice President for Government Relations.
According to Everytown, last year there were 355 unintentional shootings by children in the United States, resulting in 158 fatalities and 212 injuries.
When the Administration placed tariffs on metal lockers from China, they excluded gun safes from retaliatory tariffs because of the public health benefits of this product. When the Commerce Department implemented the tariffs, they placed tariffs on several common gun safes which should have been excluded from tariffs. These tariffs threatened to increase prices on common models of gun safes and discourage gun owners from responsibly storing their firearms.
Rep. Thompson led 50 members of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force in calling on Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to address the problem of tariffs that are raising the prices of secure gun storage options. The Commerce Department recently announced that these tariffs are being lifted. The administration’s action makes gun safes more affordable, allowing more people to buy them which keeps guns safely secure, away from children, and more difficult to steal.