Demand Senate passes bipartisan gun law reform!

Washington 12 June 2022 – Senate negotiators struck a bipartisan deal on a narrow set of gun safety measures with sufficient support to move through the evenly divided Senate.  This is a significant development toward gun law reform and saving lives.

As The New York Times reports, “The agreement, put forth by 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats and endorsed by President Biden and top Democrats, includes enhanced background checks to give authorities time to check the juvenile and mental health records of any prospective gun buyer under the age of 21 and a provision that would, for the first time, extend to dating partners a prohibition on domestic abusers having guns.”

 

ACTION:  As soon as possible, please write to both of your senators – whatever their stance is on gun law reform, and tell them you demand this passes the Senate.  If they already support gun law reform, write to thank them in advance for their vote. If they oppose this measure, write to them to tell them you will never vote for any NRA-funded candidate or any candidate who will not pass gun law reform.  Your speaking out is KEY here – the senators who want gun law reform need to know you are with them, and the senators who oppose gun law reform definitely watch and count correspondence they get on gun law reform.  Tweet to them, post on social media too – let people see that you care.

Please contact your senators_ through the link below and give them the following message, personalized to your liking:

 

Dear Senators, an opportunity to save lives is with you – I write to demand you vote for the bipartisan gun law reform bill the House has passed.  It will not solve everything – but in the wake of Buffalo, Uvalde, and other recent avoidable gun tragedies, you have to reform gun laws now.  I will be voting in November, and I pledge to never vote for an NRA-sponsored candidate, nor for any senator who votes against this measure.  Gun rights do not outweigh the right to life of American citizens.

Find your congressperson here:  https://www.conginst.org/contact-congress/

Once you have made contact, fill out the three fields below and click the orange banner to report taking action!

 

Suggested tweet to senators who want to pass this measureI know you will vote for the gun law reforms coming before the Senate; thank you. I vow to never vote for any @NRA-supported candidate. and will note how the Senators vote on this measure. This time it’s different.

Suggested tweet to senators who are anti-gun law reformI consider your pro- @NRA policies are responsible for America’s shocking gun death toll. If you will not change, you will be voted out. Rethink your position; I vote and I will watch how you vote on the upcoming gun law reforms coming to the Senate.

Tell Senators to Vote Yes on Background Checks Bills

11 March 2021, Washington DC – The House passed the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 and the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021.  We absolutely must have the Senate pass these two bills.

Virtually ever gun law reform group there is supports these bills; some claim public support for the bills to be near 90%.

We cannot just hope for the best.

Even if your senator has said they are for the bills, let them know you support them.

If you have senators who are against the measures, tell them in no uncertain terms you will vote them out.

ACTION

Please tell your senators you want these bills passed!  We are giving you a selection of ways in which to be heard – write to them with our message, sign existing petitions, send letters.  Please take as many of these actions as you can – the more the better.  Please also share this Action Alert (copy and paste the URL to share, or just click the Facebook and Twitter icons).

I urge you to support the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 and the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021.  

I am a member of gun law reform group One Pulse for America.  We know that no law-abiding gun owner can object to these bills, which undoubtedly will save lives.  Thank you.  I will be watching to see who votes for and against the bills, and I pledge to never vote for any senator who votes against them.  I’m depending on you to combat America’s gun death and injury tragedies.

 Phone:   (202) 224-3121

Use this link to find your senators:  https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm?OrderBy=state&Sort=ASC

 

Once you have made contact, fill out the three fields below and click the orange banner to report taking action!

 

Tell Your Senators To Approve George Floyd Bill

4 March 2021, Washington DC – The House passed a bill that may prevent deaths such as that which George Floyd suffered at the hands of police.

The legislation aims to combat police misconduct, excessive force, and racial bias in policing.

As NBC reports, “The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, H.R. 1280, passed 220-212.

“A version of the bill passed last year but stalled in the Senate, which was then under Republican control. The House bill passed Wednesday night still has to go to the Senate, where it will need at least 10 Republican votes for passage.

“The bill is named after Floyd, the Black man who died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for minutes.

“The officer, Derek Chauvin, was fired, and he faces charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter.

“His trial and jury selection are scheduled to begin Monday.

“The bill, among other things, would ban neck restraints and “no knock” warrants in drug cases at the federal level. It would also reform qualified immunity, which is a doctrine that makes it difficult to sue officers.

“Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., who introduced the bill, said she is confident that House members will be able to work with the Senate to get it passed. She said that after the last bill passed, “many of our Republican colleagues said they thought they could get to yes on this, but they had some difficulties.”

ACTION

Please tell your senators you want this bill passed!

Please contact your senators through one of the channels below and give them the following message, personalized to your liking:

 

I urge you to support the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in every way possible.  There is urgent need to reform the nation’s police forces. 

Naturally there will be opposition to this bill:  opponents want the status quo.  We cannot afford to allow innocent people, whether suspected of a crime or not, to continue to be fatally shot, suffocated,  injured.  I call on you to address the gun culture, violence, racial prejudice that is accepted by far too many police forces. No reasonable person can object to this bill, and I will be watching to see how you help it along and that you approve it.  If you do not intend to support it, I want to hear from you urgently with your reasoning. 

I am a member of gun law reform group One Pulse for America, and I will not tolerate the status quo.  There must never be another death like George Floyd’s or Breonna Taylor’s.  I am convinced the bill’s changes to the use of lethal force, no-knock raids, and mandatory bodycam use will absolutely save lives.  As the police are so keen to say when it suits them ‘if you aren’t doing anything wrong, then you have nothing to fear’:  a good police officer should welcome, not fear, the act.

 

Phone:   (202) 224-3121

Use this link to find your senators:  https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm?OrderBy=state&Sort=ASC

 

Once you have made contact, fill out the three fields below and click the orange banner to report taking action!

 

Recall Congress to vote on Gun Control Bills ASAP

The number of gun murders and massacres so far this year is staggering, devastating and wholly unacceptable.

Mitch McConnell must – immediately – recall Congress to address this and to hold votes on gun control bills he has been sitting on.

USA Today explains the two bills in an article on 5 August:

H.R. 8: Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019

In February this year, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 8: Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019.

NBC News image of Mitch McConnell

This bill passed 240-190, with eight Republicans joining almost all Democrats to vote for the bill.  This bill would prohibit most person-to-person firearm transfers unless a background check can be conducted, aiming to close a potential loophole allowing the transfer of firearms without a background check at gun shows or between individuals.


The Senate has not taken any action on the bill since the House passed it.

 

H.R. 1112 Bipartisan Background Checks Act

This bill would extend to at least 10 days the amount of time firearms dealers must wait for a response from the background check system before the sale can proceed. Currently, they can make the sale if they haven’t received a response in three days.

H.R. 1112 passed in February 2019 by a vote of 240-190. Like H.R. 8, the Senate has taken no action on the bill since it passed.

Senate Minority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer is among those calling for Congress’ recess to be cut short, as is Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.  She tweeted to Senator Mitch McConnell, who is responsible for the bills’ lack of progress, writing:  “The House passed HR8, a Bipartisan Background Checks Act, *5 months ago* and the Senate has yet to vote on it. It was one of our 1st major priorities after ending the gov shutdown. You’ve been sitting on it since February giving bogus excuses. Care to explain the people why?”

ACTION

Please contact your elected representatives through one of the channels below and give them the following message, personalized to your liking:

 In light of the country’s recent spate of gun murders including Gilroy, Dayton and Chicago, and especially in light of the El Paso massacre in which an AK-47 style assault rifle was used, I want to see Congress recalled immediately to address the nation’s gun death epidemic.

Two bills are with Senator Mitch McConnell – HR 8 and HR 1112:  these need to be put to a vote immediately, and Senator McConnell should be made to explain why he has sat on them since February. 

I will be watching to see what happens and how my representatives vote:  anyone who is still taking money from the NRA and who is not actively working to improve America’s gun laws will not be getting my vote.     It is a shame that Senator McConnell has suffered a broken bone:  but this must not stand in the way of calling Congress back from recess.

I am not remotely interested in your thoughts and prayers for those who have been killed:  I am only interested in your concrete actions to stop more avoidable gun murders. 

Find your congressperson here:  https://www.conginst.org/contact-congress/

And/or copy Mitch McConnell on your message:

Mitch McConnell
Phone:  (270) 781-1673
Email:  (form) https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactform
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/mitchmcconnell/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/McConnellPress

Once you have made contact, fill out the three fields below and click the orange banner to report taking action!