Virginia Tech Survivors Urge Congress to Act on Closing Gun Show Loophole

Jul 13, 2010

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Washington, D.C. - Survivors and family members of the victims of the Virginia Tech tragedy today released a statement, a day before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee is to host a forum on legislation to close the gun show loophole. (The forum will be at 2 PM Wednesday, July 14 in the House Judiciary Committee hearing room, 2141 Rayburn House Office Building.)

Statement of Virginia Tech Survivors and Family Members

The families of the victims, the survivors and their families would all like to thank Congressman Bobby Scott for his leadership on this critical public safety issue.

After the massacre at Virginia Tech, Governor Kaine created the Virginia Tech Review Panel comprised of eight nationally recognized and respected individuals with a wide variety of expertise   The panel eventually produced an extensive report which included 81 specific recommendations covering: improved laws, policies, procedures, systems and institutions of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the operation of public safety agencies, medical facilities, local agencies, private providers, universities and mental health delivery systems.

From the beginning we, the families of the victims, the survivors and their families, gave our support to the panel members and, after the report was presented, to the agencies and legislators charged with implementing the recommended changes.  Virtually all of the recommendations were acted upon with one glaring exception, that being: "Virginia should require background checks for all firearm sales, including those at gun shows."

The panel recognized the importance of limiting the ease of access to firearms for people that have been judged to be a danger to themselves or others due to severe mental illness.  They also recognized that any improvements in the procedures that identified individuals prohibited from buying firearms due to mental illness through the NICS background check system, would be totally ineffective if some types of commercial firearm sales are allowed to continue to circumvent the background check system.  Gun shows are one of the most popular public venues where firearms can be sold or exchanged between total strangers without the need for a background check on the purchaser.

Virginia has yet to close this "Gunshow Loophole," however, this problem is not limited to the confines of the Commonwealth of Virginia, but rather extends across all 37 states still allow the public sale of firearms without a background check.

Background checks on purchasers attempting to buy firearms from licensed dealers have prevented 1.8 million ineligible sales over the years that the Brady law has been in effect.  The vast majority of background checks currently take less than a few minutes to complete and present no obstacle to eligible firearms buyers.

We know from firsthand experience the pain and devastation that can result when a person prohibited by law from owning or possessing firearms can nevertheless gain easy access to them and use them to maim and kill.  That is why we are asking the Federal Government to step in and enact legislation to make it more difficult for dangerous people to obtain dangerous weapons.

The following Virginia Tech survivors and families members have expressed strong support for closing the gun show loophole:

Lynnette Alameddine
Yvonne Alameddine
Kristina Heegar Anderson
Michael & Jeri Bishop
Dennis & Beverly Bluhm
Alec Calhoun                   
Jim & Susan Carney                   
Danny Carney   
Amy Carney   
Katelyn Carney
Darryl, Cassandra & Alisha Carver
Allison Cook
Lynn Cook
Daniel & Alicia Farrell
Anne & Andrew Goddard
Colin Goddard               
Eileen Granata
Linda Granata
Joseph & Mildred Granata
Paul & Karen Granata
Steve & Anne Granata Macy
John & Suzanne Grimes
Gregg Gwaltney
Emily Haas
Lori & Channing Haas
Lily Habtu
Joanne M. Hawley
Margaret Herbstritt
Michael T. Herbstritt
Jennifer Herbstritt
Eric, Elizabeth & Erica Hilscher
Angela & Justin Jones
Diane & Ross Klein                   
Tracy M. Lane
Jody McQuade
Sean McQuade
Nancy Morgan
Jerzy Nowak
Derek O’Dell
Roger O’Dell   
William F. O’Neil & Jeanne Dube
Erin O’Neil
C.B. Panchal
Peter & Cathy Read                     
Joe & Mona Samaha   
Faith & Roger Shepherd
Diane Strollo
Kevin Sterne
Girish Suratkal
Paul & Susan Turner
Jeff Twigg
Mark and Harriet Twigg
Liselle Vega-Cortes                   
Tricia White

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The Brady Campaign is the nation's largest citizens' lobby to prevent gun violence. We represent the voice of the overwhelming majority of Americans who are tired of living with the constant tragedy of gun violence and are in favor of strong laws and policies that will save lives. We are the light that exposes politicians who are putting the American people at risk, empowering the American people to hold them accountable for decisions and actions that undermine public safety.

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Dan Gross is the President of the Brady Campaign and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. A photo and more information about Dan Gross is available here.

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