Dear Katy, It is long past time to end the era of nothing but "thoughts and prayers" from our leaders in response to gun violence. On the eighth anniversary of Rep. Gabby Giffords' shooting, Democrats in the House introduced H.R. 8 – a bill to close the ridiculous loopholes that allow people to buy guns despite criminal records and without a background check.1 Now it is up to us to put pressure on Senate Republicans to pass House Democrats' universal background checks bill. Tell Congress: Universal Background Checks now. Click here to sign the petition. Failure to tackle gun violence could cost some vulnerable Republicans seats in the Senate. As the Washington Post editorial board put it, "Gun law reform is no longer the third rail of politics but an issue that helped Democrats win control of the House."2 But only a loud and sustained outcry will drive that point home – and that's where we come in. For too long, Republicans and Democrats in the pocket of the gun manufacturers lobby have merely offered "thoughts and prayers" after shootings in schools, churches, a synagogue, a nightclub, movie theaters and on the Las Vegas Strip. They did nothing while gun violence stole countless more lives in homes and on streets around America.3 Domestic abusers, felons, and people who are a danger to themselves or others should not have guns, but loopholes allow too many to duck federal law. Closing the loopholes and instituting universal background checks has the support of 90 percent of the American people. Only the NRA and far-right gun radicals oppose it.4 H.R. 8 will close the loopholes and crack down on illegal gun ownership – saving lives in the process.5 We have to force every pro-gun senator to support commonsense bipartisan reforms, or explain why they choose more death and destruction instead. Tell Congress: Universal Background Checks now. Click below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/hr8-universal-background-checks?t=7&akid=31550%2E12967895%2E9S3ogz Thank you for speaking out, Heidi Hess, Co-Director CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: - The Editorial Board, "Democrats are making universal background checks a priority. They're right to do so." The Washington Post, Jan. 8, 2019.
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