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Twenty State Gun Safety Groups Endorse McCain-Lieberman-Schumer-DeWine Bill Leaders Say Bill Would Close the Gun Show Loophole and Make Background Checks Safer Washington, DC—Americans for Gun Safety (AGS) today announced that 20 statewide gun safety organizations have endorsed the McCain/Lieberman bill (S. 890), legislation that would require background checks for all private sales at gun shows, help states improve their background check systems, and crack down on gun crime. The bill features a bipartisan group of sponsors: The Senate bill was introduced in May by John McCain (R-AZ), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Mike DeWine (R-OH). In the House, Mike Castle (R-DE), Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), Mark Kirk (R-IL), and Dennis Moore (D-KS), along with more than 50 co-sponsors, will introduce a companion bill later this month. The state gun safety organizations that have endorsed McCain-Lieberman-Schumer-DeWine are as follows:
A quote from each of the groups' endorsement letters is attached to this release. They join several national groups in endorsing the McCain-Lieberman-Schumer-DeWine bill, including, among others, the Million Mom March, the National Education Association, and the National Association of Police Organizations. Americans for Gun Safety (AGS), the group that has spearheaded the fight for the bill at the national level, hailed the endorsement of so many state-based gun safety organizations. "These are the leaders in the fight for gun safety, and they have been at the front lines of the gun safety debate in their states. These groups and their thousands of members know how important it is to work cooperatively to find sensible, bipartisan solutions to these issues," said Americans for Gun Safety spokesman Matt Bennett. "As Chuck Schumer and Carolyn McCarthy have said, it's time for the gun safety community and for Congress to stop shouting past one another and come together behind this strong and workable legislation." John Rosenthal, Chair of the Massachusetts-based Stop Handgun Violence, a gun owner, and a prominent gun safety advocate, urged the Senate to act swiftly on the measure and commended the congressional sponsors for "working together on a bipartisan bill that will save lives by reducing gun access for criminals and kids." And Bill Owen, Executive Director of Pennsylvanians Against Handgun Violence, said that his state, which hosts the second most gun shows in America and also requires background checks for all sales at gun shows, should be an example as Congress debates the issue: "Pennsylvania proves that we can close the gun show loophole in a way that is fair to gun enthusiasts and keeps criminals out of gun shows." Two of the organizations endorsing McCain/Lieberman today worked with Americans for Gun Safety in leading successful campaigns to close the gun show loophole in their states last year. In both Colorado and Oregon, voters overwhelmingly supported ballot initiatives to require background checks at gun shows. Further information about the McCain/Lieberman bill and the gun show loophole is available on the AGS website: www.americansforgunsafety.com.
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