Gov. Carney and 11 Governors Issue Letter Calling on Federal Government to Take Action on Sensible Gun Safety Measures

Governors call for Red Flag Laws, Universal Background Checks, Banning Assault Weapons and High-Capacity Magazines, Stricter Reporting Requirements

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney and the Governors of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington today issued a letter calling on President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take action on sensible gun safety measures.

Read the letter here:

To: The President of the United States, Donald J. Trump
Cc: Senate Majority Leader, The Honorable Mitch McConnell

Our country continues to mourn the tragic events in Gilroy, El Paso, Dayton, Philadelphia, and Odessa. These five unnecessary and horrific tragedies took at least 34 lives, wounded dozens, and caused emotional trauma to countless others. Unfortunately, these losses account for only a fraction of recent gun-related deaths. In 2019, over 10,000 people have been shot and killed, and 570 people were killed by a gun in the past two weeks alone. Thoughts and prayers won’t fix this disturbing trend. Enough is enough.

Public safety is the first and most important responsibility of government, and the failure to act to protect the public is a failure in leadership. As Governors, it is our responsibility to listen to our communities’ calls for action. However, a patchwork of state laws will never be a substitute for coherent national policy.

The federal government has a history of acting on gun reform when the American public demands it. In 1934, the federal government regulated machine guns. In 1968, the federal government banned mail order gun sales. In 1994, the federal government implemented a 10-year ban on assault weapons. Americans are again calling on their government to act, and it’s time to listen.

Putting an end to the gun violence epidemic is not a Republican or Democratic issue, it is an American issue. Gun deaths do not have to be the norm. The time is now to break the cycle by enacting four common-sense measures. We implore you to work with Congress to pass sensible gun legislation that includes the following four policies that a majority of Americans support:

  • Pass Extreme Risk Protection Order legislation, commonly referred to as Red Flag laws, preventing individuals who pose a risk to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing a firearm;
  • Pass universal background checks closing the private gun sales loophole;
  • Outlaw assault weapons and high-capacity magazines; and
  • Establish stricter reporting requirements to prevent those deemed by a mental health professional to be a danger to themselves or others from purchasing a firearm

The American public supports action. So do we.

Governor Andrew Cuomo

State of New York

Governor Gavin Newsom

State of California

 

Governor Ned Lamont

State of Connecticut

 

Governor John Carney

State of Delaware

 

Governor JB Pritzker

State of Illinois

 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer

State of Michigan

 

Governor Phil Murphy

State of New Jersey

 

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham

State of New Mexico

 

Governor Kate Brown

State of Oregon

 

Governor Tom Wolf

State of Pennsylvania

 

Governor Gina Raimondo

State of Rhode Island

 

Governor Jay Inslee

State of Washington

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View and download a copy of the Governors’ letter.

Learn more about Governor Carney’s call for comprehensive gun safety reforms.

 

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