New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio Joins Mayors Against Illegal Guns, National Bipartisan Coalition Of Mayors Committed To Reducing Gun Violence

NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio today joined Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the national bipartisan coalition of mayors across the United States fighting for common-sense gun laws that will save lives by keeping illegal guns out of dangerous hands. 

Mayor de Blasio pledged his administration would aggressively pursue measures both locally and in Washington to combat gun trafficking and illegal gun sales. The mayor committed to working with New York City's congressional delegation to advance new laws increasing penalties for straw purchases of guns, and increasing coordination between state and federal authorities to keep guns out of the hands of people with severe mental illness and those convicted of domestic violence.

"We are taking every step within our own power to protect our own people, and we need our leaders in Washington and other states across the country to do the same. Mayor Bloomberg took on this fight when few others would, and today we are safer for it. He built a national movement for commonsense gun control—one I am proud to join. We are going to force this issue on the national stage to protect New Yorkers from the illegal guns flooding into our city," said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

"Mayors are on the front lines of preventing gun violence in their communities and they know better than anybody else the daily toll of gun violence in our cities and towns," said Mayors Against Illegal Guns Co-founder Michael R. Bloomberg.  "As a New Yorker it is particularly meaningful to me that Mayor de Blasio is joining our effort to curb gun violence. As Mayor he understands that common sense gun laws are vital to that success – but gun violence is a national problem that must be addressed by our leaders in Washington. Mayor de Blasio and the other new mayors who join our coalition strengthen our efforts to end the bloodshed.  I look forward to working with him to change our nation's laws so we can get illegal guns off our streets."

Members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns include Democrats, Republicans, and Independents in big cities and small towns alike. While their backgrounds may differ, on the issue of gun violence they are united for the sake of public safety. The coalition recently announced that it has joined forces with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America – solidifying a nationwide movement of Americans working together to end gun violence. 

Every day 33 Americans are killed by guns – Mayor de Blasio and his fellow coalition members are not willing to stand idly by.  Mayors Against Illegal Guns has advocated for stronger gun laws in states and localities that are already keeping guns from dangerous hands.  For example, in Colorado a new background check requirement has already blocked 100 sales to prohibited purchasers since the law went into effect last July. 

The coalition has also called on Washington to take meaningful action to address the issue of gun violence in America, and they will continue to do so until progress is made. This includes:

• Requiring every gun buyer to pass a criminal background check.
• Submitting records of prohibited purchasers to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
• Making gun trafficking a federal crime.
• Passing stronger laws that keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and protect victims of domestic violence.

About Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Since its creation in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 mayors of major American cities to more than 1.5 million grassroots supporters – making us the largest gun violence prevention advocacy organization in the country.  The bipartisan coalition, founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, has united mayors, gun violence survivors and everyday Americans around these common goals: protecting communities by holding gun offenders accountable; demanding access to crime gun trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat gun trafficking; and working with legislators to fix weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other dangerous people to get guns.  The group recently joined forces with Moms Demand Action, the leading grassroots movement of American mothers working to prevent gun violence. Learn more at www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org or on Twitter @DemandAction

CONTACTS
For Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Erika Soto Lamb: [email protected] or 646-580-5281
For The City of New York: [email protected] or (212) 788-2958

SOURCE Mayors Against Illegal Guns