Mayors Against Illegal Guns Leads National "Day to Demand Action" to Fight Gun Violence
Coalition Also Releases First Ad Featuring Newtown Family Members Demanding Political Leaders Pass Commonsense Reforms
More than 120 Events Taking Place Across the Nation – and at The White House – to Drive Largest Day of Advocacy in U.S. History Ever to Address Gun Violence; www.DemandAction.org/March28
NEW YORK, March 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Obama will meet with gun violence survivors, law enforcement officials and mothers to urge Congress to reform U.S. gun laws at the White House today as Americans gather at more than 120 events nationwide in a National Day to Demand Action to end gun violence.
Mayors Against Illegal Guns also released the first television ad featuring family members of those killed at Sandy Hook calling on political leaders to support sensible reforms like comprehensive and enforceable background checks. The ad can be viewed here: www.DemandAction.org/Newtown-Families
The ad, airing in the Hartford market and focused on pending Connecticut legislation, features Neil Heslin, father of Jesse Lewis; Chris and Lynn McDonnell, parents of Grace McDonnell; Jillian Soto, sister of Vicki Soto; and Terri and Gilles Rousseau, parents of Lauren Rousseau. In the ad, family members call on leaders to remember their loved ones and prevent other families from experiencing the toll of gun violence by taking real action to pass commonsense gun law reforms.
"From President Obama to Newtown families to the many Americans and mayors in both political parties coming together at events across the country today, the call for Congress to take action to prevent gun violence is loud and clear," said Mayors Against Illegal Guns Co-Chair and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. "We cannot afford to wait for another tragedy – it's long past time for elected officials to listen to their constituents and pass reforms like comprehensive background checks that we know will save lives."
"Never before have so many Americans come together to say 'enough is enough' and demand action from our leaders in Washington," said Mayors Against Illegal Guns Co-Chair and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. "The Senate now has the opportunity to take a vote that the American people are demanding to make our neighborhoods safer. The time has come to pass legislation and make reform a reality."
The National Day to Demand Action – organized by Mayors Against Illegal Guns in conjunction with Organizing for Action, Americans for Responsible Solutions and other groups – will feature hundreds of mayors, law enforcement officials, faith leaders, gun violence survivors and family members who want Congress to take immediate action to strengthen our background check system and reduce gun violence. The day is expected to be the largest gun violence advocacy event in history and is part of the largest field campaign in U.S. history to address gun violence. The coalition recently announced that it is hiring dozens of organizers and opening campaign offices in ten states.
In addition to the National Day to Demand Action, the bipartisan coalition is also broadcasting television ads demanding action from U.S. Senators. The Senate is expected to take up gun violence prevention legislation when it reconvenes in the second week of April. The ads can be found here: www.demandaction.org/recessads
A partial list of major events taking place across the country is available here.
About Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Since its inception in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 mayors to more than 900 mayors from across the country. We have more than 1.4 million grassroots supporters, making us the largest gun violence prevention advocacy organization in the country. The bipartisan coalition, co-chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, has united the nation's mayors around these common goals: protecting their communities by holding gun offenders and irresponsible gun dealers accountable; demanding access to trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat illegal gun trafficking; and working with legislators to fix gaps, weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other prohibited purchasers to get guns. Learn more at www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org
CONTACT
Alex Katz: [email protected] or 617-721-3779
Mayor Bloomberg's Press Office (212) 788-2958
Mayor Menino's Press Office (617) 635-4461
SOURCE Mayors Against Illegal Guns
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