Firearms

Lawmakers and Law Enforcement Call for Repeal of Tiahrt Amendment

July 10, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today joined with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer, Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello and other mayors, law enforcement representatives, and members of Congress to urge that the Tiahrt Amendment be overturned. The Tiahrt Amendment severely restricts the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) from sharing data it collects on guns used in crimes with law enforcement.    » read more »

Governor will call Special Session so lawmakers can consider and pass ban on large capacity ammunition clips

July 9, 2007 -- CHICAGO – Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich joined the families of gun violence victims, legislators, the Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and other gun safety advocates today to call on the Illinois General Assembly to pass a ban on the high capacity ammunition clips that are needed to operate assault weapons and make semi-automatic handguns more deadly.    » read more »

CHICAGO-(July 3, 2007) – During this week’s live internationally-broadcast of the PUSH Saturday Morning Forum, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., founder and president of Rainbow PUSH Coalition is calling for summer jobs and summer programs as a key to end gun violence.

“We have drugs and guns coming in,” Rev. Jackson said. “There are no jobs and job training coming in.”    » read more »

July 3, 2007 -- CAPE GIRARDEAU – Missouri Governor Matt Blunt today signed legislation he called for in his January State of the State Address clearly reinforcing Missourians' legal right to use force while defending themselves and their loved ones from attack.    » read more »

June 24, 2007 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell has signed a bill to require gun owners to report their guns lost or stolen within 72-hours of discovering them missing.

“Right now, police are powerless if they trace a gun used in a crime back to its owner and the owner claims it was stolen,” Governor Rell said. “This law targets irresponsible gun owners in an attempt to stem the tide of stolen guns used in crimes in Connecticut. We think it will prove to be a useful tool for law enforcement by closing up a loophole in our laws.”    » read more »

SB 940 Requires Illinois to Participate in Federal Gun Background Check Database, Closes Loopholes in Reporting System

June 6, 2007 -- Springfield ─ Senate Bill 940 overwhelmingly passed the Illinois State Senate today with a vote of 48-4-1 and is on its way to the Governor.    » read more »

June 6, 2007 -- BALTIMORE, MD (June 4, 2007) - Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that Curtis Dale Rhoades, 48, of Elkton, was sentenced to one year imprisonment with all but 30 days suspended after pleading guilty in the Circuit Court for Cecil County to the illegal possession of a regulated firearm. Judge O. Robert Lidum also ordered Rhoades to serve one year of probation, imposed a fine of $200 plus court costs, and ordered the forfeiture of the seized handguns.    » read more »

Rev. Jackson, Fr. Pfleger, families affected by gun violence, rally at Chuck’s Gun Shop

CHICAGO (May 26, 2007) - Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, flanked by the family of Blair Holt and Fr. Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina Catholic Church in Chicago, rallied outside Chuck’s Gun Shop in Riverdale, a suburb just south of Chicago, to push against legislation that blocks the trace of weapons that have led to a wave of violence in the Chicago area.    » read more »

May 8, 2007 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), today introduced legislation to regulate the transfer and possession of .50 BMG caliber sniper rifles, which have extraordinary firepower and range (more than a mile with accuracy, with a maximum distance of up to four miles). These combat-style weapons are capable of bringing down airliners and helicopters that are taking off or landing, puncturing pressurized chemical storage facilities, and penetrating light armored personnel vehicles and protective limousines.    » read more »

May 4, 2007 -- In a speech to the Economic Club of Detroit in May 1999, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., committed to speak on the issue of gun crimes each week that the Senate is in session. This is the 262nd week he has continued to live up to his pledge; his remarks follow:    » read more »