Ed Markey Justice & Safety for All - Ed Markey for Senate

Justice & Safety for Every Community

Accountability, Support & Reform

Every person deserves to feel safe in their home, their school, and their community. But across the country, that basic promise is under strain, as gun violence and gaps in our justice system continue to put lives at risk.

From mass shootings to everyday community violence, too many lives are lost, and too many families are left grieving. Loopholes in our laws still allow firearms to fall into the wrong hands through unregulated sales, illegal trafficking, and the growing threat of untraceable “ghost guns.”

Even in Massachusetts, which has some of the strongest gun laws in the nation, gun violence remains a public health crisis.

At the same time, public safety depends on more than prevention and requires a justice system that works for all Americans, including Black and Brown communities. Violations of constitutional rights, abuses of power, and unequal treatment under the law can leave true justice and accountability out of reach.

True safety means building a system rooted in transparency and dignity. It means ensuring victims and survivors can seek justice and access the resources they need to heal, while also protecting the rights of those impacted by the criminal legal system, including people awaiting trial.

That’s why Ed is fighting for a comprehensive approach to public safety that strengthens gun laws, invests in community-based prevention, while also ensuring accountability, protecting constitutional rights, and expanding support for victims and survivors.

Ending Gun Violence

Gun violence is a man-made public-health crisis, and every day it continues to take lives and devastate families across our country.

Ed is fighting for commonsense gun safety laws that save lives, protect kids, and keep communities safe by treating gun violence like the public-health emergency it is, and putting people’s lives ahead of the gun lobby’s profits.

Banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines by prohibiting their sale, manufacture, and transfer, strengthening background checks and safe storage requirements, and cracking down on high-capacity magazines so that the most dangerous weapons are kept out of our communities, and fewer families have to experience preventable loss.
Stopping untraceable “ghost guns” before they hit our streets by banning the online distribution of gun blueprints and closing a dangerous loophole that allows weapons to be 3D printed, sold, and carried without serial numbers or detection.
Strengthening enforcement against gun dealers by investing more resources to inspect, penalize, and shut down those who repeatedly break the law and fuel gun violence.
Pushing to use financial crime detection tools to identify suspicious purchasing patterns linked to mass shootings, helping law enforcement intervene earlier and stop tragedies before lives are lost.
Keeping guns out of the hands of children by banning firearm marketing that targets minors and holding companies accountable for irresponsible practices.

Current Legislation:

Lead Sponsor: Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2025 (S.2514)
Lead Sponsor: Gun Violence Prevention Through Financial Intelligence Act (S.2157)
Lead Sponsor: Making America Safe and Secure Act of 2025 (S.2156)
Lead Sponsor: Keeping Gun Dealers Honest Act of 2025 (S.2155)
Lead Sponsor: Protecting Kids from Gun Marketing Act (S.2154)
Lead Sponsor: 3D Printed Gun Safety Act of 2025 (S.2165)
Original Co-Sponsor: Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 (S.1531)
Original Co-Sponsor: Keep Americans Safe Act (S.803)

Survivors & Communities

Violence and injustice don’t end when the immediate crisis passes. They leave lasting harm for survivors, families, and communities who are too often denied the support, protection, and accountability they deserve.

Ed is fighting for a comprehensive approach that centers victims and survivors by expanding access to care and resources, strengthening protections for those at risk, and investing in community-based solutions that prevent violence before it happens so every family has a path to justice, healing, and lasting safety.

Holding the gun industry accountable by repealing liability protections that shield manufacturers and sellers from lawsuits so victims and their families can pursue justice and ensure reckless actors are no longer above the law.
Expanding support for victims by establishing a federal advisory council to coordinate services, close gaps in care, and increase access to medical treatment, mental health support, financial assistance, and legal resources, so families can recover, rebuild, and move forward with dignity.
Investing in community-based violence prevention by funding proven intervention programs, supporting local organizations, and expanding job training and workforce opportunities for young people, so we can reduce shootings, break cycles of violence, and build safer communities without relying on mass incarceration.
Closing dangerous loopholes for domestic violence survivors by strengthening safeguards to prevent abusers from accessing firearms, so survivors are better protected from escalating harm.
Recognizing and supporting survivors of homicide victims by establishing a national awareness month, elevating their experiences, and promoting access to research, services, and community-based support, so families are not left to navigate grief and trauma alone.

Current Legislation:

- Lead Sponsor: Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2025 (S.1466)
- Lead Sponsor: National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month Resolution (S.Res.504)
- Original Co-Sponsor: Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act (S.1955)
- Original Co-Sponsor: Break the Cycle of Violence Act (S.2203)
- Original Co-Sponsor: Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025 (S.2196)

Reform & Accountability

Our justice system should be fair, transparent, and rooted in dignity—but too often, it falls short for the people it’s meant to serve, especially for communities of color.

Ed is fighting to strengthen accountability, expand transparency, improve conditions for those in custody, and open real pathways to opportunity, so our justice system works for everyone and truly lives up to its promise.

Ending qualified immunity to ensure accountability by allowing individuals to hold law enforcement responsible in court when their constitutional rights are violated to ensure that civil rights are meaningfully protected and that victims obtain real accountability.
Advancing fair and effective sentencing by reducing mandatory minimums for nonviolent drug offenses and focusing resources on serious and violent crimes to address racial disparities and build a more equitable system.
Protecting the dignity and rights of people in custody—both in immigration detention and the broader justice system—by establishing enforceable national standards, strengthening oversight and transparency, phasing out private detention facilities, and ending the use of solitary confinement through humane limits on isolation and greater access to programming.
Expanding second chances and economic opportunity by investing in entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and access to capital for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals to help people successfully reenter the workforce, build stability, and break cycles of recidivism.
Bringing transparency to the justice system by allowing cameras and media coverage in federal courtrooms with strong safeguards for due process to help the public better understand and trust how justice is carried out.