Click here to read Paul Helmke's statement about U.S. House passage of the federal spending bill funding the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives containing the so-called "Tiahrt Restrictions" on police access to crime gun trace data.

Police leaders from across the nation joined the Brady Campaign in urging Congress to repeal legislation that prevents police and local governments from having access to crime gun trace data that would help cities fight illegal gun trafficking in their communities.

However, the House failed law enforcement and it failed our communities. It refused to remove the Tiarht restrictions — named after Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) — which has been tucked inside of a federal spending bill since 2003. It makes it difficult for law enforcement to combat crime and prevents communities from knowing the truth about corrupt gun dealers and illegal gun trafficking.

At a time when crime rates are rising, and corrupt gun dealers and traffickers are fueling gun violence in our neighborhoods, this action is inexcusable.

More than 200 individual police chiefs, 11 national police organizations, 21 state and regional police organizations, and more than 230 mayors including Mayors Bloomberg (New York), Menino (Boston), and Palmer (Trenton), have repeatedly urged Congress to repeal these restrictions.

The crime gun trace data is critical to mayors and law enforcement because without it, dangerous gun dealers avoid public scrutiny and local police are deprived of warnings of possible criminal activity in their communities. But the Tiahrt restrictions shield corrupt gun dealers who feed the illegal gun market.

Thanks to all who made calls, sent letters and emails to urge your Representative to repeal the Tiahrt restrictions. Congress needs to know that while they continue to side with the gun pushers, America wants sane gun laws to make our communities safer.

The federal spending bill must now move to the Senate for a full votes. We will keep you updated on what's next in the fight!

Please click here to contribute to the Brady Campaign. We need your support to help law enforcement and mayors repeal this harmful amendment.

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Read strong editorials opposing the Tiahrt restrictions:

• Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Take off the blinders
• New York Times: Can the House buck the gun lobby?
• Washington Post: Follow the guns
• Sacramento Bee: Fighting gun violence
• Baltimore Sun: Taking on the NRA
• Philadelphia Inquirer: Philadelphia Inquirer Gun-Control Policy Shame on them
• Chicago Sun-Times: Repeal gun info ban to make streets safer
• Burlington County Times: Target: Tiahrt
• Wichita Eagle Oped: Tiahrt Amendment is Anti-Law Enforcement
• Philadelphia Daily News: Un-cuff law enforcement
• Wichita Eagle: How do Tiahrt restrictions protect cops?
• New York Times: Why Protect Shady Gun Dealers?
• Bowling Green Daily News: Police need records of guns at crime scenes
• New York Times: Silence on Guns
• New York Times: Washington's Secret Gun Files by NYC police commissioner Raymond W. Kelly

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Download the sample ad

• Read Brady Campaign President Paul Helmke letter to Members of Congress
• Download a One-Page Summary of the Effects of the Tiahrt restrictions
• See a List of Who Opposes the restrictions
• Counter the Myths that Are Being Said about the restrictions
• Read Some Frequently Asked Questions
• View a sample ad opposing Tiahrt running in targeted Congresionals districts
  
  
• Read a study on "The Importance of Crime Gun Trace Data on Studying and Reducing Illegal Gun Trafficking" from a Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.
• Read a letter from a group of Senators opposing these restrictions
• Read statements from individual Members of Congress:
  • Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA)
  • Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
  • Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
  • Representative Chaka Fattah (D-PA)
  
  
• Read email from Presidential Candidate Barack Obama to Illinois activist supporting removal of the Tiahrt restrictions.
• Visit ProtectPolice.org
• Visit the Mayors Against Illegal Guns website

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Police Organizations Opposing the Tiarht restrictions

As of June 28, 2007 the following law enforcement organizations, representing more than 100,000 law enforcement professionals have signed on opposing the Tiahrt restrictions.

National Law Enforcement Associations:

National Sheriffs' Association^NEW!
International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
International Brotherhood of Police Officers (IBPO)
Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA)
Police Executive Research Foundation (PERF)
Police Foundation
Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA)
National Latino Peace Officers Association (NLPOA)
National Black Police Association (NBPA)
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
School Safety Advocacy Council

State Law Enforcement Associations:

California Association of Chiefs of Police
Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police
Connecticut Association of Chiefs of Police
Delaware Police Chiefs Council
Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police
Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police
Maine Association of Chiefs of Police
Maryland Chiefs of Police Association
Maryland Municipal Law Enforcement Executives Association
Massachusetts Association of Chiefs of Police
Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police
Minnesota Association of Chiefs of Police
New England Association of Chiefs of Police
New Jersey: Essex County Chiefs of Police Association
New Mexico Association of Chiefs of Police
New York Association of Chiefs of Police
Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police
Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association
Texas Association of Chiefs of Police
Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police
Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (Washington State)

Plus, more than 200 Individual Police Chiefs and Sheriffs on behalf of their jurisdictions 

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