GOSAFE Act (S.3369)
Rapid

Count on Mothers research examined mothers’ views on the GOSAFE Act and its potential impact on the safety, health, and well-being of children and families. Survey results show strong overall support for the bill, particularly among moderate and liberal mothers, alongside more mixed views among conservative mothers. Interviews highlight shared concern about gun violence affecting children and communities, with differences emerging around how best to address the problem.

December 31, 2023
Related themes:

Child and Family Mental Health Access and Support

  • Strong overall belief in positive impact:
    A large majority (93%) of mothers surveyed believe the GOSAFE Act would have a positive impact on children’s and families’ safety, health, or well-being, including nearly all moderate, liberal, and very liberal mothers, and about half of conservative mothers. No very conservative mothers surveyed believed the bill would have a positive impact.
  • Broad support for regulating weapon design and manufacture:
    Most moderate and liberal mothers—and half of conservative mothers—support federal regulation of gas-operated, semi-automatic weapons, including design approval requirements and preventing unlawful firearm self-assembly.
  • Support for restricting conversion devices:
    Large majorities of moderate and liberal mothers, along with nearly 60% of conservative mothers, believe the federal government should restrict conversion devices such as bump stocks and Glock switches.
  • Majority support for a voluntary buy-back program:
    Nearly all moderate and liberal mothers and about half of conservative mothers support establishing a voluntary buy-back program for non-transferrable firearms and magazines.
  • Shared concern, differing solutions:
    Across interviews, mothers agreed that gun violence represents a serious crisis affecting children and communities. Conservative mothers tended to emphasize mental health and underlying social conditions, while moderate and liberal mothers emphasized regulation of firearm manufacture, sale, and transfer.
  • Recognition of limits and tradeoffs:
    Some mothers viewed the GOSAFE Act as a meaningful step that could reduce harm, while also noting it may not address deeper societal causes of violence, highlighting ongoing debate about comprehensive solutions.

This report focuses on information Count on Mothers collected on a bill of interest to Mothers. In December 2023-January 2024, we studied Mothers’ views on the “Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion Act” (GOSAFE Act). A total of 314 Mothers residing in 43 states and from across the political spectrum provided feedback on the GOSAFE Act. To learn more about Mothers’ perspectives on this legislation, we also conducted interviews with 6 Mothers, including 2 conservatives, 2 moderates, and 2 liberals. After analyzing Mothers’ opinions from the survey and interviews, we take this aggregate data and share it with Congressional legislators so they are educated on Mothers’ views on the “Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion Act.”

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Count on Mothers conducts nationwide surveys and qualitative research with U.S. mothers. Findings are analyzed and reported in aggregate to inform research publications and decision-making related to families.
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