"AN ELEGANT SOLUTION" BRADY APPLAUDS THE PASSAGE OF BILL REQUIRING MICROSTAMPING TECHNOLOGY FOR NEW PISTOLS IN CALIFORNIA

 HTTPS://WWW.BRADYUNITED.ORG/PRESS-RELEASES/BRADY-CALIFORNIA-BILL-MICROSTAMPING-GUNS

 Washington, D.C., August 28, 2020 - Today, Brady applauds the California State Senate for passing AB 2847, introduced by Assemblyman David Chiu (D – San Francisco), which ensures that new model handguns introduced into California incorporate microstamping technology. This technology equips each individual firearm with a unique marking, a micro stamp, which is then imprinted onto casings when bullets are fired, connecting them to the gun that fired them and aiding law enforcement in identifying shooters and gun traffickers.

With the Senate’s action today, this bill is one step closer to reaching California Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for his signature. Brady calls on Gov. Newsom to sign this bill into law without delay.

Brady President Kris Brown shared:

“In recent years, we have seen the rate of unsolved firearm assaults and homicides increase nationwide. Assemblyman Chiu’s bill, AB 2847, is an elegant solution to this pressing problem, using the latest technology to respect the rights of gun owners while making California safer. This bill, soon to be law, will provide a new and much needed tool to California law enforcement in their efforts to solve crimes involving a firearm and will help to make all California communities safer. In conjunction with the strong state and local gun safety laws and the state’s sustained investment in community violence prevention programs, requiring microstamping technology for new, semi automatic pistols shows that California is serious about addressing gun violence in all of its forms. That this legislative victory comes over a decade after the state first passed a microstamping requirement that was met with resistance from the gun lobby cannot go unsaid. Crimes could have been stopped, solved and lives saved but for the gun lobby’s meritless opposition. This victory is long in coming.

Brady thanks the California State Senate for passing this bill, Assemblymember Chiu for his leadership, and looks forward to Gov. Newsom signing this bill into law.”

Brady Program Manager Steve Lindley, the former Chief of the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Firearms, shared:

“As a former law enforcement officer and chief of the Bureau of Firearms, I’ve seen firsthand the need for technology like microstamping to help solve crimes and stop gun trafficking. This bill will aid law enforcement in their efforts to solve crimes by creating a tracing system that will immediately identify a firearm when it is used in a crime. This law continues California’s long tradition of taking an evidence-based approach to preventing gun violence. All Californians can and should be proud of their state leaders for again leading the way in gun violence prevention with this common-sense solution.”

Brady California Legislative Chair Amanda Wilcox shared:

“Today’s victory is due to the hard work of many determined activists across the state and to the leadership of Assemblymember Chiu who remained undaunted in the face of stall tactics from the gun industry for over a decade. As someone who has personally been involved in the effort to enact this policy since 2005, the vote today showed that sound policy and common-sense solutions that are demanded by the majority of the people win out. This update to California’s Unsafe Handgun Act will help our state’s law enforcement solve crimes and stop cycles of violence before they have the opportunity to take hold.”

About AB 2847:

AB 2847 strengthens California’s Unsafe Handgun Act (UHA), which was passed in 1999 and established safety and quality standards for firearms manufactured and sold in California.

AB 2847 works to ensure that new model semi-automatic pistols introduced into California incorporate microstamping technology, which imprints a microscopic marking unique to that handgun on bullet cartridge casings when the gun is fired. When a cartridge is recovered at a crime scene, law enforcement then has access to the make, model, and other identifying information about the gun.

Microstamping requirements were included in a previous amendment to the UHA in 2007. The amendment included a requirement that all new semiautomatic pistol models incorporate microstamping technology in two places. The gun industry has effectively boycotted this safety law by refusing to develop and introduce any new handgun models for sale in California. Since 2013, when microstamping finally went into effect, no firearm manufacturer has submitted a handgun for certification that incorporates microstamping technology. Gun manufacturers claim they do not have the capacity to microstamp cartridges from two places on the interior of a firearm, as required under existing law, but have conceded that they are able to do so from one place.

AB 2847 addresses this concern and actually eases the requirement by mandating that newly developed semiautomatic pistol models engrave microstamping characters on just one place on the interior of the firearm. Gun manufacturers can easily, affordably, and feasibly comply with this mandate. This bill will likewise progressively reduce the availability of handguns that do not meet the existing UHA safety standards, gradually reducing the number of noncompliant weapons sold in California.

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 Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.

 

"STANDING UP FOR DEMOCRACY" BRADY APPLAUDS LAWSUIT FILED BY NEW YORK, HAWAII, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK CITY AND CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO

Washington, D.C., August 26, 2020 - Today, Brady applauds the leadership of the Attorneys General of New York, Hawaii, New Jersey, and the City Attorneys of New York City, and the city and county of San Francisco for filing a lawsuit against the United States Postal Service, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, and President Donald Trump to stop interference in the national postal service ahead of the 2020 election. This lawsuit follows similar lawsuits filed by Attorneys General in 20 other states and the District of Columbia.

These lawsuits are a needed action to protect our democracy and ensure that all Americans can freely exercise their right to vote by mail this November.

Brady President Kris Brown shared:

“The actions taken by the Attorneys General of New York, Hawaii, New Jersey and the City Attorneys for New York City and San Francisco are necessary to stop the Trump Administration from steamrolling our democracy. As the lawsuit lays out, the changes implemented by Postmaster General DeJoy “immediately...produced serious delays” in our nation’s mail system.

The lawsuit filed yesterday is another, concrete step to stopping these changes, which threaten the ability of millions of Americans to cast a ballot in this November’s election and make their voices heard. As New York Attorney General Letitia James correctly said, this is ‘voter suppression.’ We cannot be complacent in this effort. This lawsuit is an essential step, but all Americans must engage in this effort, as well, to ensure that November’s election is free and fair. Brady volunteers have already sent over 4,000 messages to their state’s Attorney General. The stakes in this election are too great, both for the movement to strengthen our nations’ gun safety laws and for our democracy. We cannot be silent and we cannot be complacent. Brady thanks these Attorneys General for standing up for democracy.”

About Brady’s Work to Liberate the Post Office:

Recognizing the threat to our nation’s election this November and clear in the need to elect a gun violence prevention majority to every state house, both chambers of Congress, and the White House , Brady has mobilized grassroots supporters to contact their state authorities to take action and stop Postmaster General DeJoy’s hollowing out of the U.S. Postal Service.

DeJoy’s actions have already slowed mail and service across the country. While this is a clear threat to the effort to vote by mail in November, this reduction in service has also affected businesses, families, and seniors across the country who rely on the postal service for day-to-day activities such as receiving medication and conducting business.

Since August 19, over 4,000 Brady activists have reached out to their state officials to demand that they stop Postmaster DeJoy’s actions and liberate our postal service.

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Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.

A MORE PERFECT UNION: DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION OFFERS VISION FOR AN AMERICA FREE FROM GUN VIOLENCE

https://elections.bradyunited.org/press-releases/a-more-perfect-union-democratic-national-convention-offers-vision-for-an-america-free-from-gun-violence

 Washington, D.C., August 19, 2020 - The faces and stories of gun violence survivors and advocates have been the throughline of the Democratic convention, underscoring how this issue affects every community across our nation. From last night’s roll call to tonight’s programming featuring former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and activists Emma Gonzalez and DeAndra Dycus, the message is clear: we need a Biden-Harris Administration to help end gun violence, and continue to work through and after this election to create real change.

This convention has offered a vision of an America that takes this crisis seriously.

Brady Campaign President Kris Brown shared:

“Tonight, the Democratic National Convention began with a testament to the toll that gun violence takes on all communities in our nation. We heard from survivors and activists who have committed their lives to stopping preventable tragedies. We know in our movement that access and participation in our democracy and the effort to prevent gun violence is inseparable. We also know that in this election, that democracy is under threat. It is why Brady is committed to ensuring that we are not only engaged in this election, but are working to expand access to our democracy for all communities in this country. For we know that the communities most and actively disenfranchised in our democracy are those also most affected by gun violence. The movement to end gun violence in this country is inseparable from the effort to expand access and participation in our democracy. It is why former President Barack Obama warned tonight, ‘Do not let them take away your democracy.’ We must all participate and engage in this November’s election, even as it is under threat.

The Brady Campaign applauds the Democratic National Convention for highlighting gun violence as a clear public health and safety crisis and calling us all to working in this election to solve that crisis. The Brady Campaign stands with former Vice President Biden and Senator Harris in the resolve to solve that crisis.”

The Team ENOUGH Executive Council shared:

“As the generation that will be forced to live and reckon with the consequences of policies that favor the status quo, we know we cannot be complacent. It is essential to have elected officials who listen to people from marginalized communities that experience the weight of gun violence every day - communities whose needs and interests are often ignored or actively suppressed. It’s why Team ENOUGH has continued to work to expand access to our democracy this election, so that all voices and especially those historically and continuously disenfranchised are heard this November. We cannot solve this problem until all of us are seen and heard in this process, instead of being told to sit down and wait our turn.

But, we will not achieve equity with words alone, we need action. We will not rest during this election to elect gun violence prevention champions up and down the ballot. And, we will not rest in our work to help them enact change and create a new reality for all Americans.”

During his time as a Senator, Joe Biden was a critical voice in shepherding through both the Brady Bill and the federal assault weapons ban. He was an original sponsor and instrumental in the passage of the Violence Against Women Act. He forcefully opposed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) which gives the gun industry unprecedented protections under law.

As Vice President during the Obama-Biden administration, Vice President Biden was tasked with developing and implementing common-sense policies to keep Americans safe while the U.S. Senate refused to pass comprehensive legislation. Vice President Biden’s work helped to close loopholes and expand resources for Americans. He is willing and able to work without Congress to keep Americans safe.

We know that a Biden-Harris administration will listen to the voices of all Americans who are calling for needed fixes to our gun violence epidemic. This week’s convention has shown that clearly, and the Brady Campaign is proud to reiterate its support for their vision of an America free from gun violence.

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 Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.

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BRADY STATEMENT ON SELECTION OF SENATOR KAMALA HARRIS FOR VICE PRESIDENT

https://elections.bradyunited.org/press-releases/brady-kamala-harris-for-vice-president

 Washington, D.C., August 11, 2020 – Today, the Brady Campaign commends former Vice President Joe Biden’s selection of Senator Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination for Vice President. Sen. Harris is a trusted, established, and clear champion for gun violence prevention who has shown throughout her career that she is unafraid to have gun safety at the center of her agenda.

Brady Campaign President Kris Brown shared:

“Joe Biden’s choice of Senator Harris for Vice President reflects his clear understanding that the problems our nation faces require strong, informed, and decisive leadership. Brady applauds this selection, as a Biden-Harris Administration will bring both this leadership and needed empathy back to the White House, especially in the effort to prevent gun violence. Throughout her career, Senator Harris has shown that she will act to prevent gun violence and keep our communities safe. From championing both common-sense and innovative gun safety policies as California Attorney General while holding gun manufacturers accountable for profiting off of violence to demanding federal action on gun violence as a United States Senator, Sen. Harris has shown that stopping gun violence is a priority. It is why she introduced a plan to use executive authority to strengthen our nation’s gun safety regulations early in her presidential campaign last year. She understands that, when over 40,000 Americans a year die from gun violence, this issue is too pressing to wait. We need action, not words, and a Biden-Harris Administration will not hesitate to act to make our communities safer.

Brady is proud to enthusiastically support Sen. Harris’ selection for Vice President. We need her voice in this fight.”

Sen. Harris has championed gun violence prevention at every opportunity, from her time as a District Attorney, as Attorney General, as a U.S. Senator, and during her campaign for the Democratic nomination for President. In that campaign, Senator Harris was steadfast in her commitment to ending our nation’s gun violence epidemic, including taking executive action to improve our nation’s gun safety laws within the first 100 days. As Attorney General, Sen. Harris championed implicit bias and procedural justice training for law enforcement while supporting efforts to remove firearms from persons who are legally not allowed to have them. She continued these efforts in the U.S. Senate, where Senator Harris has strongly advocated for comprehensive gun violence prevention reform as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, helping to draw attention to the Senate’s dangerous lack of action on gun violence and putting forward proposals to help make our nation safer. As Vice President, Senator Harris would bring this same zeal and understanding to preventing gun violence, helping to close existing loopholes in our laws, create new regulations to keep guns out of the hands of individuals who should not have them, and hold gun manufacturers accountable for profiting off of violence in our communities.

A Biden-Harris Administration will ensure that the Biden Plan to End Our Gun Violence Epidemic becomes law. That plan prioritizes stopping the flow of weapons into our communities by strengthening background checks, banning the sale of assault weapons in the U.S., properly funding the background check system, banning ‘ghost guns’ and ghost gun kits, and investing in community-based solutions to reduce conflict and prevent violence. In total, this plan will address gun violence in all of its forms, improving federal laws and systems while working with state and local governments to implement solutions that work with and within communities to prevent violence.

Brown concluded:

“As Vice President, we know that Senator Harris will demonstrate how her deep and detailed understanding of our nation’s gun violence epidemic translates into action to make our country safer. She recognizes the scale and scope of this issue. She has proven that she is unafraid to act. Brady is delighted to see that she will bring this same clarity of purpose as Vice President.”

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 Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.

 

BRADY APPLAUDS NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES FOR SEEKING TO REMOVE THE NRA'S TAX EXEMPT STATUS

https://www.bradyunited.org/press-releases/brady-applauds-new-york-attorney-general-letitia-james-for-seeking-to-remove-the-nras-tax-exempt-status

 

Washington, D.C., August 6, 2020 – Today, Brady applauds New York Attorney General Letitia James’ announcement that she has filed a complaint in the Supreme Court of New York that includes 18 causes of action against the National Rifle Association (NRA) and four of its senior officers, current and former, for fraud, malfeasance, false filings and abuse of the NRA’s tax-exempt status, among other charges. AG James’ action seeks to dissolve the organization in its entirety, following its rampant and wanton misfilings and false reporting. In October 2019 Brady filed a complaint with the IRS seeking an examination into, and ultimately a revocation of, the NRA’s tax exempt status. For over 40 years Brady has fought the NRA, which has operated in a manner entirely inconsistent with its mission in a manner which has put profits (both for NRA leaders and the gun industry) over people.

Brady President Kris Brown shared:

“Today’s action shows what many Americans have seen for years: the NRA has lost its way. Instead of advocating for common-sense gun policies that protect gun owners, families, and communities, the NRA has instead become an extremist organization, focused on lining their own pockets and the pockets of the gun industry at the expense of all Americans. Almost a year ago Brady, in a detailed letter filing to the IRS, set forth many of the details noted in the complaint filed by AG James. We applaud the New York Attorney General for stepping up and taking this much-needed action. The NRA has continued to use donations to empower extremism, expand deadly loopholes and block life-saving policies in Congress and in state legislatures across the country. Their actions have betrayed their supporters who donated to the NRA, not knowing that their dollars would be used to fund second homes, lavish vacations, new cars or private jets.

These are not the actions of the directors of a tax-exempt organization.

Real lives have been lost due to the NRA’s practices and approach to gun policy in America. Their greed has come at a human cost. We applaud the New York Attorney General for this important step in bringing this organization to justice and securing an America in which no one is above the law, not even the NRA."

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Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.

BRADY MARKS 55 YEARS OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT: A CALL TO PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY

https://www.bradyunited.org/press-releases/brady-marks-55-years-of-the-voting-rights-act-a-call-to-protect-our-democracy

 

Washington D.C, August 6, 2020 - Fifty-five years after President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law, Brady calls for renewed attention to the on-going effort to disenfranchise Black and Brown voters in the United States and calls for greater action to ensure that our democracy and elections are inclusive of all Americans. Brady reiterates the call for online and same-day voter registration, universal vote-by-mail and absentee voting, early voting access, and universal enfranchisement for formerly incarcerated persons, as part of the Voting Access Saves Lives campaign. These are needed reforms that help to address the ongoing effort to repress voters and stop the voice of all Americans from being heard in our democracy. The anniversary of this historic and transformative bill underscores the urgent need for these reforms.

Brady President Kris Brown shared,

“When signing the Voting Rights Act, President Johnson declared that the law ‘flows from a clear and simple wrong’ and that ‘its only purpose is to right that wrong.’ Fifty-five years later, while we have made progress to right that wrong, there remains an active and concerted effort to suppress the votes of people of color, particularly of Black Americans. From gerrymandered districts to voter roll purges and purposeful under-resourcing of voting infrastructure, millions of Americans, including Black, Latino, Asian, and Native American voters; voters with disabilities; and students, face systemic barriers to casting their votes and participating in our democratic processes. These intentional barriers corrode the trust that many Americans place in our government, weaken our democracy, and reneges on the founding promises and principles of our republic.

President Johnson signed this law flanked by the men and women who risked their lives to deliver a nation that lived up to its promise, by working and fighting to secure voting rights for all Americans. Today, we acknowledge much more work must be done to ensure free and fair access to the ballot box by historically disenfranchised voters. The fight for gun violence prevention is inextricably tied to our voting access. That is why Brady is committed to ensuring that all Americans have the right to vote and the intent of the Voting Rights Act is fully realized in our electoral process.”

Brady Constitutional Litigation Counsel and Director of Racial Justice Kelly Sampson shared:

“Fifty-five years ago, John Lewis and many other men and women famously risked their lives to secure the right to vote. The Voting Rights Act was the fruit of their efforts, helping to finally deliver the ability to vote to many to whom it had been long denied. While we laid Rep. Lewis to rest less than a week ago, the causes he fought for his whole life for are, troublingly, still as present and pressing today as they were in 1965.

The concerted and purposeful efforts to disenfranchise Black Americans from exercising our right to vote continues to this day, resulting in lawmakers who are not beholden to their constituents or the issues that affect them most. It’s why the gun violence prevention movement has been clear that protecting democracy is inseparable from reducing gun violence, as the communities most affected by gun violence are often those who are actively excluded from our democratic processes. We need lawmakers who will address the concerns of their communities, that includes gun violence.

Rep. John Lewis told us that if we see something that is not right, we must do something. The active suppression of the right to vote is not right. It was not right in 1965 and, while it has a different form in 2020, it is not right today. Rep. Lewis fought for this cause his entire life and we must continue that fight. We need policies such as expanded access to early voting, universal mail-in-voting, and enfranchisement for previously incarcerated Americans. Rep. Lewis told us the right to vote is precious and we will honor that truth.”

The Team ENOUGH Executive Council shared:

“Young people have watched as the promises within the Voting Rights Act have been ignored, violated, or actively overturned during our lifetime. Today’s anniversary underscores the immediate need to reform our elections to ensure that all Americans are able to participate in our democracy. From barriers to prevent students from voting, like lack of access to early voting on campus, to targeted efforts to disenfranchise Black and Brown Americans, like the disenfranchisement of the previously incarcerated, our generation has watched as a concerted effort to deny full participation in our democracy has hindered necessary action on the issues that affect us most. Issues such as police reform, racial discrimination, and gun violence prevention have gone unaddressed as elected officials do not have to answer to the constituents most affected by their inaction.

As the generation that will be left to reckon with the consequences, we will not accept the status quo. We demand immediate action, including expansion of voter registration to include online and same-day voter registration, universal vote-by-mail and absentee voting, expanding early voting access, and universal enfranchisement for those with felony convictions. Today’s anniversary is a reminder that the fight for voting rights and full participation in our democracy continues.”

About the Voting Rights Act of 1965:

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is considered one of the most important and influential pieces of civil rights legislation of the last 100 years. The law enacted sweeping powers to the federal government to enforce changes to election laws across the country and banned many discriminatory laws and practices that had been designed to deny Black Americans their constitutional right to vote. Momentum for the law followed what’s known as ‘Bloody Sunday,’ when peaceful demonstrators marching from Selma to Montgomery were attacked by Alabama State Troopers as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The attack was widely covered by the American media and led President Lyndon Johnson to push for a bill to protect voting rights from racist and discriminatory laws and practices. President Johnson signed the bill on August 6, 1965, surrounded by civil rights leaders such as John Lewis, who was famously injured on Bloody Sunday, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The bill was instrumental in removing many barriers that had prevented generations of Black Americans from voting.

In 2013, the Supreme Court invalidated key portions of the 1965 law, stating “our country has changed.” Since this change, there have been numerous charges of certain laws and policies that result in voter suppression, that would have been banned and quickly remedied under the Act, highlighting the need for the restoration of this imperative law. Today, the U.S. House of Representatives has already passed a measure that would restore the invalidated portions of the law, though comparable legislation has not been taken up by the Senate Majority.

About Voting Access Saves Lives:

The Voting Access Saves Lives campaign is a partnership between Brady, March For Our Lives and Team ENOUGH. The campaign and its accompanying report tailors recommendations to address historical inequities in our voting systems that have both purposefully and unintentionally disenfranchised people of color, particularly Black Americans, Native and Indigenous Americans, other minorities, lower income individuals, and individuals with disabilities, among many others. Ensuring that all of these voices are heard is vital to creating a society that addresses each of these communities’ needs and concerns, including gun violence.

The campaign emphasizes four key areas to increase access to the ballot and expand our democracy to include the voices of all Americans:

Vote by mail & absentee voting

Voter registration

Early voting

Restoration of voting rights

 

 

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Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.