Reps. Steve Israel, Carolyn McCarthy, DA Singas, Everytown for Gun Safety and Local Officials Call for Commonsense Gun Safety, Expanding Background Checks
Great Neck, NY—Congressman Steve Israel (NY-03), former Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, Nassau County Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas, Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel, Assemblyman Charles Lavine, Great Neck Pubic Schools Superintendent Dr. Teresa Prendergast, and Everytown for Gun Safety called on the Republican-controlled Congress to pass legislation to close loopholes and expand background checks.
Regardless of polls that confirm nearly 90% of American’s support commonsense gun-safety legislation, the Republican-led Congress refuses to even hold a vote on bipartisan background checks or closing gun sale loopholes which could prevent gun violence, mass shootings, and save lives.
“We have a gun violence crisis in our country that takes the lives of more than 30,000 Americans every year – nearly 90 every day. It is staggering that we can lose this many lives and still no real action is taken,” said Congressman Steve Israel. “The Republican-led Congress needs to stop sitting on their hands, get to work, and simply allow a vote on universal background checks to save lives – the time is now.”
”Sending our thoughts and prayers to the families affected by gun violence is no longer enough,” said former Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy. “We need substantial change in the way we approach this epidemic because saving lives should never be a partisan issue. Until we pass commonsense gun legislation in this country, I will continue my mission to fight for the families like mine that were forever changed by gun violence.”
“Our country’s rate of gun violence and accidental deaths by guns is a national tragedy that can be avoided with a little common sense and courage to take action. Congressman Israel, his peers on Long Island and the rest of us here are doing everything we can on a local level to keep our communities safe and advocate for change, but legislative leaders in Washington need to finally join us and stand up for the millions of Americans who support common-sense, bipartisan measures like universal background checks,” said Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.
“As a longtime gun control activist who started with Carolyn McCarthy in the aftermath of the Long Island Railroad Massacre, I am grateful that Congressman Steve Israel is focusing on the need for stronger federal gun control laws. We need to close the gun show loophole and have strong universal background checks across the nation. That will be a first step to help put an end to the killings,” said Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel.
“I commend Congressman Steve Israel for calling for expansion of the existing background check system to cover all commercial firearm sales. The country is extremely divided on the issue of gun control, and deeply rooted beliefs on the issue are unlikely to change overnight. The bi-partisan legislation H.R. 1217 seeks to bridge the divide with common ground,” said Assemblyman Charles Lavine. “Regardless of how we feel about firearms, we can all agree that our goal should be to prevent tragedies like the one that happened in Oregon on October 1st. This law protects the rights of responsible gun owners while seeking to prevent guns from falling into the hands of those who seek to do harm. I would like to thank Congressman Israel for finding a middle of the road solution that keeps Americans safe.”
“As superintendent of the Great Neck Public Schools, my primary responsibility is to provide a healthy, safe, and secure learning environment for all students and staff. Toward that end, our office of security works in concert with the local police and fire departments, and safety exercises are practiced in conjunction with the local authorities. In fact, each school conducts lockdown, lockout, evacuation, fire, and other drills well beyond those required by the NYS Education Department. Along with a positive school climate, these elements of a comprehensive safe-schools approach can play critical roles in keeping our schools safe. Our actions are reflective of the times we live in, and our goal is to educate our students and staff on how to be safe without raising anxiety levels,” said Great Neck Pubic Schools Superintendent Dr. Teresa Prendergast.
"Requiring background checks on all gun sales is the single most important thing we can do to reduce the gun violence in our country that kills 88 Americans every day and injures hundreds more," said Janina Bandi, the volunteer Chapter Leader for the New York Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. "We don't have to choose between protecting the Second Amendment and saving lives -- we can do both."
The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which was signed into law in 1993, created the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and required federal background checks on firearm purchasers in the United States. Since its inception in November 1994, roughly 2.4 million gun sales to prohibited purchasers have been prevented because of background checks. Unfortunately, there are background check loopholes for firearm sales made at gun shows, over the internet, or through private sellers, which fails to prevent the mentally ill, domestic abusers, or criminals from purchasing firearms.
On average, nearly 90 people a day die of gun violence, which is roughly 30,000 people each year. While New York State is one of 21 states with tighter background check laws, without a comprehensive federal law many guns used illegally in New York are trafficked from states with less prohibitive gun laws. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives nearly 70 percent of firearms recovered and traced in New York State came from out of state.
Rep. Israel is a co-sponsor of H.R. 1217 the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act, also known as the bipartisan King-Thompson legislation, which expands background checks by closing gun sale loopholes and requiring comprehensive and enforceable background checks on all commercial gun sales. Additionally, Rep. Israel is a co-sponsor of H.R. 3411, the Fix Gun Checks Act, which was originally introduced by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy before she retired. This legislation would expand background checks, close gun sale loopholes including person-to-person sales, and makes it harder for the mentally ill to acquire guns.
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