If you talk to many about reducing so-called gun violence, you’re likely to get a litany of gun control policies that they’re convinced will make us safer.

Yet time and time again, we see that criminals find ways around these laws. The only people inhibited by the are law-abiding citizens.

Over at the Washington Examiner, USCCA’s Mike Lowney has some suggestions for laws that will actually help reduce crime.

The real solution is to make sure that law-abiding citizens are able to protect themselves wherever they go. Bills like the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would do just that. Too often, families visiting out-of-state relatives, or business professionals traveling for work, get caught up in unknowingly criminal situations due to convoluted concealed carry permit laws. As the Supreme Court reaffirmed, the right to keep your firearm on hand shouldn’t stop at just your home or property.

Another policy that would guarantee real change is the STOP II, Secure Every School and Protect Our Nation’s Children Act, which would have redirected funds to hire more school resource officers and mental health guidance counselors while expanding active shooter training. Unfortunately, House Democrats blocked this bill.

There are many other policy solutions and bills to consider, such as the 21st Century NICS Act to prevent criminals from getting firearms and the Police Officers Protecting Children Act that went unnoticed. The Firearm Proficiency and Training Act, recently introduced by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and endorsed by the U.S. Concealed Carry Association, would also encourage more people to learn how to use their firearms to protect themselves and their families safely and effectively.

The only way to address gun violence is to do so head-on, with legislation that will actually protect our school children and encourage safe and responsible firearms ownership. We urge Congress to consider a more effective approach, such as hardening schools, allowing teachers to carry firearms in schools, and passing laws that support responsible gun ownership. The safety of all Americans depends on it.

Now, I get some being less than thrilled with the NICS Act, but that’s a tiny minority of people, many of whom know they’d likely not be able to get a gun in the first place.

All in all, many of these measures really would make a huge difference when it comes to our Second Amendment rights and reducing crime. It would be a win across the board, a win for everyone. However, we all know these measures aren’t going to see the light of day, particularly with this Congress.

They’re too focused on gun control to imagine the possibility that such measures aren’t really helping.

That much is obvious to anyone who has been paying attention to gun politics over the years. Yet those blinders they so willingly wear are also what’s keeping us from really addressing firearm-related violence in any meaningful way.

We tried gun control. What happened after the Gun Control Act was passed? Violent crime soared. It wasn’t until the 1990s when states started liberalizing gun laws that we really saw a decrease. There’s a lesson there that Congress would do well to learn.

Unfortunately, I think we all know that’s not going to happen.