Our efforts cannot bring back the 20 innocent children murdered in Newtown, CT -- or the 33 people murdered with guns every day in America. But we can prevent future tragedies by passing common sense legislation that will:
Demand that your members of Congress and the president support these legislative priorities.
A group of artists joined our effort to Demand A Plan and recorded a powerful, personal message. Please take a minute to watch the video and share it with your friends and family.
President Obama and members of Congress: What’s your plan to end gun violence?
Support key legislation to keep guns out of the hands
of dangerous people
Demand that your elected officials support common sense legislation to end gun violence
After the Newtown shooting, commentators across the political spectrum called for improving our efforts to keeps guns out of the hands of the mentally ill. But as our Fatal Gaps map demonstrates -- now updated with data from October 31, 2012 -- many states are still failing to submit even a minimum number of mental health records to the background check system.
Read MoreStatement from Mayors Against Illegal Guns Co-Chair and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg:
“The NRA's Washington leadership has long been out of step with its members, and never has that been so apparent as this morning. Their press conference was a shameful evasion of the crisis facing our country. Instead of offering solutions to a problem they have helped create, they offered a paranoid, dystopian vision of a more dangerous and violent America where everyone is armed and no place is safe. Leadership is about taking responsibility, especially in times of crisis. Today the NRA's lobbyists blamed everyone but themselves for the crisis of gun violence. While they promote armed guards, they continue to oppose the most basic and common sense steps we can take to save lives - not only in schools, but in our movie theaters, malls, and streets. Enough. As a country, we must rise above special interest politics. Every day, 34 Americans are murdered with guns. That's why 74 percent of NRA members support common sense restrictions like criminal background checks for anyone buying a gun. It is time for Americans who care about the Second Amendment and reasonable gun restrictions to join together to work with the President and Congress to stop the gun violence in this country. Demand a plan.”
Statement from Mayors Against Illegal Guns Co-Chair and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino:
“There is an outpouring of voices demanding real change to make our communities safer. Clearly the NRA’s leadership is not one of them. What they announced today is not a plan, but a ploy to bring more guns into our neighborhoods. I don’t believe the answer to gun violence is more guns. The American people are tired of the same buzzwords and rhetoric that have moved this debate nowhere and put lives at risk. It’s time for a common sense national gun policy. It’s time to take action on background checks, assault weapons, high capacity magazines, missing mental health records and closing private sales loopholes. There is so much work to do; we don’t have time for rehashed and tired ideas. The American people and the families of the 34 people killed every day by gun violence demand nothing less.”
Read More“This morning I spoke with Vice President Biden and offered my full support for his efforts. I was very encouraged by the President's strong statement and his announcement is an important step in the right direction. The country needs his leadership if we are going to reduce the daily bloodshed from gun violence that we have seen for too long. The task force must move quickly with its work, as 34 Americans will be murdered with guns every day that passes without common sense reforms to our laws. Vice President Biden has long has been a leader on this issue, having chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee for many years, where he helped lead successful efforts to pass laws establishing the criminal background check system and a ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines. Now it is time to fulfill the original promise of those two laws. Meanwhile, while this task force is convening, the President should take immediate steps to protect Americans by making a recess appointment of a new director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; ordering all Federal agencies to send data to the national gun background check database; directing the Justice Department to step up prosecution of people who try to illegally buy guns; and lifting what’s known as the Tiahrt gag order, which keeps the public in the dark about gun traffickers. There should be no delay in taking these steps.”
Read MoreJoin more than 300,000 Americans demanding a plan from President Obama and Congress to end gun violence. When you do, you'll also be signing up for our latest email updates. We'll email you with specific, time-sensitive actions that will make a difference.
With your support, we can continue to push the President and Congress to offer specific plans for reducing gun violence.
Make a donation of $25 or more and help hold our leaders accountable for keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Please note that contributions to Mayors Against Illegal Guns Action Fund are not tax-deductible.
After you sign the petition, share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter.
Call President Obama and your members of Congress and demand a plan to end gun violence
Tell them we need background checks on all gun sales to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
Mayors Against Illegal Guns is a bipartisan coalition of more than 750 mayors - representing more than 57 million Americans – who support common-sense gun laws.
Find out if your mayor is in the coalition HERE. If they are, thank them!
If they aren't, contact them and ask them to join by signing our Statement of Principles HERE.
Advocate for change on Twitter and Facebook.
Follow @DemandAPlan on Twitter for the latest news on the fight to stop gun violence in this country. You should tweet about the issue and consider using the hashtag #DemandAPlan.
Like our Facebook page, and share actions and news on your own page.
People of all faiths across the country will be hosting a Sabbath to Stop Gun Violence on the weekend of Jan. 5-6, 2013. Click HERE to find out how to join them.
Submit a letter to your local newspaper and tell your elected officials that Americans support common sense gun laws. In fact, 82% of gun owners—including 74% of NRA members—support criminal background checks for all gun sales.
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Find out whether your state is doing everything it can to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.
View the New Interactive Map
