As Children Return To School, Nevadans Will Deliver Petition-Filled Backpacks Calling On Senator Heller To Support Background Checks

Published on Wed, Sep 4, 2013 (10:13 a.m.)

Submitted by Mayors Against Illegal Guns

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 3, 2013

CONTACTS
Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Kate Downen: [email protected] or 406-224-5056
Jack Warner: [email protected] or 646-324-8246

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Kim Russell: [email protected] or 917-226-4420


*** Media Advisory***
AS CHILDREN RETURN TO SCHOOL, NEVADANS WILL DELIVER PETITION-FILLED BACKPACKS CALLING ON SENATOR HELLER TO SUPPORT BACKGROUND CHECKS
Nine Months After Sandy Hook School Shooting, Congress Has Yet to Take Action to Prevent Future Tragedies
Backpack Petition Delivery Will Urge Senator Heller To Support Legislation Requiring Background Checks Supported by 84 Percent of Nevadans; Visit Online Petition Signed by Over 41,000 at maig.us/school
As children return to school this week, Nevadans will deliver backpacks filled with petitions to Senator Dean Heller’s office in Las Vegas Wednesday, calling on him to support comprehensive, life-saving background checks on all commercial gun sales. At the delivery, seven backpacks filled with signed petitions will be dropped off to represent the seven children and young people who are murdered with guns every day in America. Over 41,000 Americans have signed the Back-to-School Background Checks Petition. To sign, visit maig.us/school.
In the nine months since the Sandy Hook massacre that took the lives of 26 first graders and their teachers, Congress has yet to take action to pass legislation that will prevent future tragedies. This past April, the Senate voted on bipartisan background check legislation supported by NRA A-rated Senators Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey that would have helped keep guns out the wrong hands by extending background checks for all gun sales at gun shows and online. This common-sense measure failed, however, after it was blocked by a minority of senators- including Senator Heller.
Corresponding bipartisan legislation in the U.S. House, sponsored by Congressmen Peter King and Mike Thompson, currently has more than 180 co-sponsors but has failed to receive support from a number of representatives nationwide.
Every day, 33 Americans are murdered with guns in America— and seven of those are children. The backpack petition delivery is part of a national effort to continue raising awareness to the issue of gun violence in America—and most importantly, to urge Senator Heller and other elected officials to prioritize the safety of the people they represent.
Backpack petition delivery details are below:


What: Backpack delivery of petitions and press conference urging Senator Heller to support comprehensive, life-saving background checks on all gun sales.

Who: Neil Heslin, father of Newtown victim
Amy Robinson, UNLV educator


Where: Senator Heller’s Office
8930 West Sunset Road, Suite 230
Las Vegas, NV

When: Wednesday, September 4th 11:30am



About Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Since its creation in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 members to more than 1,000 mayors from across the country. The coalition has more than 1.5 million grassroots supporters- including over 17,000 in Nevada- making it the largest gun violence prevention advocacy organization in the country. Co-chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has united the nation’s mayors around these common goals: protecting communities by holding gun offenders accountable; demanding access to crime gun trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat gun trafficking; and working with legislators to fix weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other dangerous people to get guns. Learn more at www.MayorsAgainstIllegalGuns.org

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About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America

Much like Mothers Against Drunk Driving was created to change laws regarding drunk driving, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (www.momsdemandaction.org) was created to build support for common-sense gun reforms. The nonpartisan grassroots movement of American mothers is demanding new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our children and families. In just over eight months, the organization has more than 100,000 members with chapters in every state across the country.


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