August 27, 2012
Dear Friends,
Since the most recent shootings in Colorado, Wisconsin, Texas, Washington DC and New York at the Empire State Building, Americans are again faced with the issue of guns in society and discussing what reforms might make sense.
I want to thank you for taking the time to fill out my recent survey regarding your thoughts on gun safety and share the results with you:
I asked: Should there be a limit on the size of the semi- automatic weapon magazine, so that a shooter would not be able to fire off 100 bullets in a minute?
You said: Yes: 75% (4,247); No: 25 % (1,402)
Why I asked: Currently, individuals can purchase magazines capable of facilitating killing sprees. I am a cosponsor H.R. 308, the Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act, which would ban large capacity magazines that can hold dozens of rounds of ammunition.
I asked: Should Federal agencies be able to share information so that people deemed so dangerous as to be on the "no fly list" would be prohibited from legally purchasing guns?
You said: Yes: 78% (4,319); No: 22 % (1,237)
Why I asked: Currently, no-fly list data cannot be shared between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Homeland Security. This means that even suspected terrorists or individuals on the no fly list are able to purchase firearms in the U.S. This is unacceptable. Im a cosponsor of H.R. 1506, the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2011, which would prohibit the sale of firearms or explosives to individuals determined by the Attorney General to be engaged in terrorist activities
I asked: Should the gun show loophole be closed, so that the people who buy weapons in the open-air gun bazaars, like what occurs in Portland at the Expo Center, be required to submit to the same background checks and record-keeping as people who buy from licensed gun-dealers?
You said: Yes: 82% (4,627); No: 18 % (1,029)
Why I asked: Oregon leads the way as one of only six states that requires universal background checks on all firearm sales at gun shows. However, in over 30 states, one can walk into a local gun show (very similar to those held at the Expo Center in Portland) and purchase a weapon from a private seller, without ever undergoing any kind of background check.
It is time to extend Oregon standards to the rest of the country. I support both H.R.591, the Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2011 and H.R. 1781, the Fix Gun Checks Act of 2011, which would both eliminate the gun-show loophole.
I asked: Should people with a history of domestic violence be able to purchase guns and carry concealed weapons?
You said: Yes: 15% (834); No: 85% (4,684)
Why I asked: In 1998, Congress passed the Federal Domestic Violence Gun Ban, prohibiting people convicted of domestic violence, or who are under a restraining order for domestic violence from purchasing firearms. Since 1999, hundreds of thousands of domestic violence offenders have been denied access to firearms under these laws.
This is an example of the kind of legislation that helps keep guns out of the hands of the wrong people. However, these laws have limitations. Until we close the gun show loophole and require background checks on every single gun purchase in the United States, people with a history of domestic violence can still purchase guns. We also need to work to strengthen existing laws and enforcement systems to ensure that only responsible, law-abiding citizens have access to firearms.
I asked: Should the federal government force every state to accept the weakest gun safety standards of any state in a "race to the bottom?"
You said: Yes: 15% (804); No: 85% (4,489)
Why I asked: This past November, the House passed H.R. 822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. This legislation, backed by the NRA, would require states to honor concealed weapons permits from every other state, regardless of how weak or strict permitting restrictions are. This undercuts state laws that have successfully narrowed access to concealed weapons permits. This legislation has not passed the Senate. If it does, I will encourage the President to veto it.
I asked: Should the Clinton-era assault weapon ban, which expired in 2004, be renewed?
What you said: Yes: 71% (3,993); No: 29% (1,597)
Why I asked: In 1994, Congress passed a 10 year ban on semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices. This ban expired in 2004 and should be reinstated. Military-style firearms have no place in the hands of civilians.
While this was not a scientific survey, It is clear to me that the majority of you agree that having a thoughtful and rational conversation about gun safety doesnt have to be a toxic political issue, rather it is an important conversation about public health and safety.
Most of us do agree that there are steps we can take to make our communities safer from gun violence. According to polls, even the majority of NRA members disagree with many of the rabid pro-gun policies of the NRA itself.
In the last decade, there have been well over 100 fatal mass gun shootings in the United States. This is unacceptable. For too long, we have allowed political bullies to intimidate people from even having these conversations, researching the facts and proposing common-sense solutions. Meanwhile, the tragic loss of life from gun violence only continues to rise.
It is time to recognize this realty and to come together to deal with the epidemic of gun violence the way we would treat any other threat to the safety of our families and communities.
Thank you very much,
Earl Blumenauer
Member of Congress
I think it's time to let this guy know that the 2nd amendment was not put in place so wack jobs could run around shooting people. It was there to protect us.
