Ad Calls on Congress to Support Sensible Gun Laws;
Ad Airs in Portland Market and also Available on www.DemandAPlan.org
Portland, Maine - One month after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Portland Mayor Brennan and local law enforcement officials gathered at City Hall to call on President Obama and members of Congress to take immediate steps to end the gun violence epidemic that kills 33 Americans every day. Despite the nation’s gun violence epidemic, Washington lawmakers have done nothing to address this critical issue and stop the bloodshed. Now, just weeks after 26 innocent people – including 20 children – were murdered in Newtown, Portland leaders demanded common-sense gun reforms that will help save American lives.
Portland leaders also released a new television ad at the event today by Mayors Against Illegal Guns featuring family members of gun violence victims demanding a plan of action from Washington. The ad will air in markets across Maine and can be seen here: www.DemandAPlan.org
Local officials also noted that since the Newtown shooting, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has added more than 100 mayors to its national bipartisan coalition to end gun violence and grown to more than one million supporters. In an effort to keep their community safe, leaders at today’s event urged Washington to end gun violence in America by:
· Requiring criminal background checks for all gun sales: Background checks are the only systematic way to stop felons, domestic abusers and other dangerous people from buying firearms. But federal law only requires background checks for gun sales at licensed dealers. Almost 6.5 million guns are sold each year in
the U.S. by unlicensed “private sellers,” including online and at gun shows. That means that between 40% and 50% of gun sales may take place with no background check for the buyer. According to Republican pollster Frank Luntz, 82% of gun owners support criminal background checks on all gun sales.
· Banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines: Military-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines have no place on our streets. They are designed to kill large numbers of people quickly, and they have no other use in civilian hands. Today, even people with criminal records, or with serious mental illness, can and do buy assault weapons from unlicensed private sellers who don’t conduct background checks.
· Make gun trafficking a federal crime: Every year, tens of thousands of guns find their way into the hands of criminals through illegal trafficking channels. But there is no clear and effective statute that makes gun trafficking a federal crime. Prosecutors who want to combat traffickers are forced to rely on a weak law that prohibits “engaging in the business of selling guns without a federal license,” which carries the same punishment as trafficking chicken or livestock.
Statements from Participants at Today’s Event
Portland Mayor Michael Brennan
"Our city and our country both remain heartbroken over the heinous murder of 26 innocent people, including 20 young children, in Newtown last month. But we know that honoring their memory requires more than just mourning their loss. I am calling on Congress to stand up for the survivors, for the family members of victims, and for the millions of Americans who all deserve protection from illegal guns and military-style assault weapons."
Portland Police Chief Michael Sauschuck
"With 33 Americans being murdered with guns every day, the time is now for Washington to act. Our brave law enforcement officers in Portland are doing everything in their power to keep our communities safe, but our nation's leaders need to do their part, too. By pushing for common-sense gun laws, the President and Congress can help protect Americans and save countless lives."
Portland Superintendent Emmanuel Caulk
"One month ago today, I watched in horror as gun violence claimed 26 innocent lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. The day when our children are no longer safe in their classrooms is the day that our country has hit rock bottom. We are committed to ensuring the safety of our students in Portland, and we urge our leaders in Washington to help by passing sensible legislation that will protect our communities."
About Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Since its inception in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 mayors to more than 800 mayors from across the country, including three in Maine. It has more than one million grassroots supporters, making it the largest gun violence prevention advocacy organization in the country. The bipartisan coalition, co-chaired by New York City Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, has united the nation’s mayors around these common goals: protecting their communities by holding gun offenders and irresponsible gun dealers accountable; demanding access to trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat illegal gun trafficking; and working with legislators to fix gaps, weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other prohibited purchasers to get guns. Learn more at www.DemandAPlan.org
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