The 2014 Kelly Report on Gun Violence in America, released Wednesday, June 25, is the first collaboration of its kind between members of Congress, gun safety advocates, and public health/academic communities on the nation’s gun violence epidemic.

Written by Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL), the report is, according to her website, “the first-ever Congressional analysis of the nation’s gun violence epidemic that offers a blueprint for ending the crisis.”

The contributors to the report include Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA), chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force; Representative Marcia Fudge (D-OH), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus; Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

Po Murray, chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance, was invited to attend a meeting on Capitol Hill the day of the report’s release along with other contributors and stakeholders to discuss implications of the report and effective actions that will help make children and families safe from gun violence.

“The Newtown Action Alliance shared our story of how the Newtown community pulled together to transform our tragedy into meaningful action with support from victims’ families, teachers, students, and friends from numerous states,” said Ms Murray. “During the year following the unimaginable tragedy that occurred in Newtown on December 14, 2012, there have been heartaches and disappointments in our grassroots advocacy efforts. However, we recognize that what happened in Newtown has ignited a national conversation on gun violence prevention. As more and more Americans lose their loved ones to senseless gun violence, this national conversation will grow in size and scope until Congress will have no choice but to take action.

Contributors also include The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, NAACP, National Urban League, Americans for Responsible Solutions, Center for American Progress, Duke University, University of Chicago Crime Lab, Harvard University School of Public Health and John Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Among the recommendations, the report proposes establishing firearm restraining orders which would allow courts to confiscate firearms from those who are a danger to themselves or others. In addition, it suggests investing in smart gun technologies to prevent stolen guns from being used to commit crimes as well as repealing gun manufacturers’ immunity to lawsuits by gun violence victims.

 “The Newtown Action Alliance would like to thank and applaud Congresswoman Robin Kelly,” Ms Murray continued. “She has taken the lead on compiling a comprehensive congressional gun violence report that sheds light on the issue of gun violence in America and identifies policy solutions that can save American lives.”

 “America has a gun violence problem. It’s time that we face it head-on by instituting common-sense gun reforms to save lives,” Rep Kelly states in the report. “We can strike the right balance between protecting the Second Amendment and promoting public safety by keeping guns out of the wrong hands. The Kelly Report strikes this balance.”

The Kelly Report on Gun Violence is “an anthology of analysis,” continues Rep Kelly. “[It] defines the nature of gun violence in America while providing a framework for improving the status quo through a comprehensive set of legislative and public policy recommendations. It is a multi-faceted approach to gun violence prevention, one that includes ideas for ground-level social supports to help build safer communities. The Kelly Report offers a reasonable and feasible way forward in reducing gun violence in our country.”

Click here to read the full 66 page report.

Newtown Action Alliance is a grassroots organization formed after the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. NAA works to bring about legislative and cultural change that will reduce gun violence.