Dear VPC Action Network Member:
There was action this week in Congress on an NRA-backed bill (H.R. 5092) to make it harder to for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to revoke the licenses of corrupt gun dealers. Despite the fact that corrupt dealers account for the highest volume of illegally trafficked firearms, H.R. 5092 would hobble ATF's oversight authority by creating an "ignorance of the law" excuse for dealers who facilitate illegal sales or fail to keep adequate records.
The House considered the bill under suspension of the rules and therefore a two-thirds majority was needed to pass it. Gun control supporters were only six votes shy of stopping the bill in the House. The bill's proponents then attempted to ram the bill through the Senate without an opportunity for debate or amendments. Thanks to the quick action of Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the gun lobby's late night attempt to pass the bill failed. Now there is no time for the Senate to consider the bill before Congress recesses for the upcoming elections.
National and state gun control advocates were joined by law enforcement organizations and a coalition of city mayors in the effort to prevent this dangerous legislation from becoming law and we will continue the fight to stop the gun lobby's dangerous agenda that will only add to the rising rates of gun violence.
Thank you, as always, for your efforts to stop gun death and injury.
Visit www.vpc.org to learn more about the VPC's most recent activities, including the VPC's blog postings on The Huffington Post, all of which can be viewed at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josh-sugarmann/.
There was action this week in Congress on an NRA-backed bill (H.R. 5092) to make it harder to for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to revoke the licenses of corrupt gun dealers. Despite the fact that corrupt dealers account for the highest volume of illegally trafficked firearms, H.R. 5092 would hobble ATF's oversight authority by creating an "ignorance of the law" excuse for dealers who facilitate illegal sales or fail to keep adequate records.
The House considered the bill under suspension of the rules and therefore a two-thirds majority was needed to pass it. Gun control supporters were only six votes shy of stopping the bill in the House. The bill's proponents then attempted to ram the bill through the Senate without an opportunity for debate or amendments. Thanks to the quick action of Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the gun lobby's late night attempt to pass the bill failed. Now there is no time for the Senate to consider the bill before Congress recesses for the upcoming elections.
National and state gun control advocates were joined by law enforcement organizations and a coalition of city mayors in the effort to prevent this dangerous legislation from becoming law and we will continue the fight to stop the gun lobby's dangerous agenda that will only add to the rising rates of gun violence.
Thank you, as always, for your efforts to stop gun death and injury.
Visit www.vpc.org to learn more about the VPC's most recent activities, including the VPC's blog postings on The Huffington Post, all of which can be viewed at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josh-sugarmann/.
