Brady Campaign Joins Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, National Gun Violence Prevention Group to Ban Large Capacity Magazines

Jan 18, 2011

Brady Campaign President Paul Helmke joined U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy and other leading national advocates for reducing gun violence today at 2 p.m. in the U.S. Capitol to discuss the introduction of - and a plan to advance - her legislation to ban large capacity ammunition magazines such as the one used in the tragic January 8 shooting in Tucson, AZ.

The bill is scheduled to be formally introduced in the House of Representatives later in the evening.  Senator Frank Lautenberg will introduce it later this month in the Senate.

The bill brings the nation to the same 10-round-maximum standard used in at least four states today, as well as nationwide for a decade when the now-expired federal assault weapons ban was in effect.

Brady President Paul Helmke said:  “Allowing access to high-capacity magazines is beyond the pale.  Banning them is a matter of public safety.  There is no Second Amendment or God-given right to be able to maim and kill your fellow Americans with military-style arms.  When the high-capacity magazine restriction was in place until 2004, it was effective.  If our nation can agree that machine guns, cop-killer bullets, and plastic guns ought to be restricted, surely we can agree that large-capacity magazines have no place in our society.”

Rep. McCarthy agreed: “I know what it’s like to have tragedy brought to your life in a split second by a madman with high-capacity ammunition magazines,” said Rep. McCarthy, whose husband was killed and son seriously wounded by a gunman on the Long Island Railroad in 1993.  “I’m working to stop it from happening again.  We need comprehensive reform to reduce the number of people hurt or killed by gunfire in America, but one simple way we can do that is by keeping the worst tools of mass murder away from the general public.  This nation has come together before to support this simple, commonsense measure, and it is the law in several states right now.  It is a small sacrifice that law-abiding gun owners can make once again in order to increase everyone’s safety.”

Other grassroots and gun violence prevention groups and representatives attending the news conference today included Kristen Rand, Legislative Director of the Violence Policy Center; Hildy Saizow, President of Arizonans for Gun Safety, and a member of States United to Prevent Gun Violence; Jackie Hilly, Executive Director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence; James Winkler, Chair of the newly-formed Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence; Laura Waxman, representing the U. S. Conference of Mayors.

At least 22 House members already have signed on as co-sponsors of the bill and many more are expected to be added over the next few days.

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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.

We are driven by the focused vision of a nation where all Americans are safe at home, at work, at school, and in our communities.

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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