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Heller To Vote Against 86 Percent of Nevadans, Common Sense

 

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday April 16, 2013

Contact:
Jocelyn Torres
jtorres@progressnownevada.org
702-767-2089

Heller To Vote Against 86 Percent of Nevadans, Common Sense

LAS VEGAS - Today Senator Dean Heller announced he would vote against the wishes of 86 percent of Nevadans by opposing universal background checks for gun sales. ProgressNow Nevada Action Executive Director Brian Fadie released the following statement in response.

"Loopholes in our current background check system make it easy and legal for criminals and the dangerously mentally ill to obtain as many guns as they want whenever they want them. Today Senator Heller announced he wants those loopholes to remain open.

The reason multiple polls show 86 percent of Nevadans support universal background checks is because it's just common sense. When someone buys a gun at a gun show they should have to be checked to make sure they are not a convicted criminal.

Today Senator Heller turned his back on the most common sense proposal we have to prevent gun violence in our communities."

Additional Information:
Senator Heller's statement says he has concerns the Manchin-Toomey plan would create a national gun registry. The only problem is the Manchin-Toomey agreement already includes a 15-year prison term for attempting to create a federal registry. (Source: http://huff.to/17EYCXj)

Senator Heller also says he is concerned about limiting the right to own a gun, however the Supreme Court has already ruled that background checks do not violate the Second Amendment (District of Columbia v Heller, 6/28/08). (Source: http://nyti.ms/13i5dU9)

Recently the Republican Party made headlines when they released an "autopsy" of the party and found they needed to appeal more to women, Latinos and young people. Polling in Nevada and around the country consistently shows women, Latinos and young people overwhelmingly support universal background checks.

• Project New America - 88 percent of Latinos, 92 percent of women and 97 percent of young people support universal background checks (Source: http://bit.ly/YfvoaO)

• Washington Post/ABC News - 85 percent of Latinos, 88 percent of women and 86 percent of young people support background checks (Source: http://wapo.st/17EpvLa)

• Latino Decisions - 84 percent of Latinos support background checks (Source: http://bit.ly/12feopz)

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Bipartisan Compromise Reached on Gun Violence Prevention Bill

LAS VEGAS - ProgressNow Nevada Executive Director Brian Fadie released the following statement in response to Senators Toomey and Manchin proposed gun violence prevention bill:

"The single most important thing Congress can do to reduce gun violence and save lives is to require comprehensive and enforceable background checks.  Senators Toomey and Manchin have crafted a strong compromise that would require background checks for all gun sales at gun shows and online. 

Criminals and other dangerous people avoid background checks by buying firearms, often at gun shows and online, from unlicensed "private sellers" who are not required by federal law to conduct the checks. Expanding the current, enforceable background check system to gun sales in commercial settings would reduce crime and save lives.

Nevadans must now turn to Senators Reid and Heller to support this common sense legislation that will help prevent gun violence in our communities.

Senator Heller, who has called expanding background checks "a reasonable step forward," needs to do the reasonable thing and support closing the background check loophole.

Senator Reid has already shown leadership on this issue by fighting vigorously to bring a gun violence prevention bill to the senate floor for a vote. Now we ask Reid to keep fighting for this important piece of legislation that will make our communities safer."

Today an NRA-backed panel released a study that proposes among other things adding armed school guards in schools. Because of concerns from school administrators the plan would also mandate background checks for the armed guards. Apparently it's ok to run a background check on those applying to become armed guards but not on everyone else that is purchasing a gun because... Background checked armed guards do not make schools safer. I attended a school that had an armed guard, and I can tell you it didn't make it safer. I saw too many of my classmates shot as they were walking home from school and I came close to being shot a few times as my mom picked me up from school. I agree that we have a gun violence culture and that we need to address the problem. However adding more guns to the mix is not the solution. We've all heard the phrase teach by example and what are we really teaching our kids by having armed guards? Let me tell you what I thought when I was in school - this place is not safe if they need an armed guard. We need to set a better example for our children and we need to send a message to them that schools, malls, and theaters are safe not because they have an armed security by their side but because it is difficult for criminals and the mentally ill who are dangerous to get their hands on guns. Requiring background checks for all gun purchases is one gun violence prevention measure that isn't burdensome and won't infringe on the second amendment but can save lives. It is argued that a good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun, but how do we know who is the good guy and who is the bad guy unless we have a method to help distinguish them outside of a tragedy.

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