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When he ran in, and won, the special election for U.S. Senator from Alabama in 2017, Democrat Doug Jones bragged about being an avid hunter and a “Second Amendment guy.” When it came to gun reform, he toted the NRA line and offered nothing. “I want to enforce the [gun] laws that we have right now,” he told voters.
But when Jones took the floor of the Senate to deliver his first speech just over a month after the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, he had a remarkable change of heart on gun control.
“It’s time…that we have a serious, pragmatic and practical discussion—not a debate or a negotiation, but a dialogue—on the steps that we can take to reduce the harm caused by gun violence in this country,” he told his colleagues.
Jones then went to the heart of the issue: “We also need to get past the idea that more guns in society will make us all safer. The statistics and the data simply do not support that. We don’t need guns in the hands of schoolteachers. Simply having more good guys with guns is not the solution.”
By the end of his speech, Sen. Jones had announced his support for a long list of gun reforms, including: a) Raising minimum long gun purchasing age to 21; b) Universal background checks; c) Gun violence restraining orders; d) Closing the “Charleston Loophole”; e) Improvement of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System through the Fix NICS Act, and; f) Repeal of the Dickey Amendment blocking gun violence research by government.
Please contact Senator Jones through one of the channels below and give him the following message (personalized to your liking):
Senator Jones, thank you SO MUCH for rising in your maiden speech on the Senate floor to discuss the need for better regulation of firearms in this country. I appreciate you openly acknowledging the threat posed by violent individuals who legally gain access to firearms. It warmed me to hear you go to bat for children who find unsecured guns in the home due to the negligent actions of their guardians. You made it clear that it is in the power of you and your colleagues to solve these problems and exhibited true leadership in a moment that will be closely examined by future generations. I am SO EXCITED that I will have you as an ally in my efforts to advocate for life-saving policies like extreme risk protection orders and universal background checks. You, sir, have just gained a loyal new supporter!
Senator Doug Jones (D-AL)
Phone: (202) 224-4124
Email: https://www.jones.senate.gov/content/contact-senator
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/senatordougjones/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SenDougJones
Once you have contacted Senator Jones, click the orange banner below to report taking action!