Women Leaders Urge Action on Gun Violence

Floor Speech

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Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following letter from prominent women leaders from around the country, which urges Congress to take action on gun violence by implementing universal background checks. Women's Coalition For Common Sense July 14, 2016.

Members of Congress: We are a coalition of women leaders from business, law enforcement, government, domestic violence prevention, women's advocacy, journalism, entertainment and public health. Like Americans all across our country, we are outraged by the mass killing in Orlando and other recent tragic events. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the victims and their families. But sadly, these recent tragedies are only the latest horrific events in our national gun violence crisis that claimed 33,000 lives last year. This crisis is destroying families and our communities.

That's why we have come together to demand that you do more to keep guns out of the wrong hands, protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans, and save lives. We are not alone. Americans--Democrats, Republicans, and Independents--agree that we need stronger laws to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. It is time for lawmakers like you to listen to your constituents, the very people you were elected to serve.

You can start to address our gun violence crisis by acting to close the loopholes in our laws that allow domestic abusers and felons to buy a gun without a criminal background check. Unlike federally licensed gun dealers, unlicensed sellers are not required to conduct background checks on gun purchases, often with devastating consequences for women and families.

Strengthening our laws and closing these dangerous loopholes would save lives. In states with background checks on all handgun sales, 46% fewer women are murdered with a gun by their intimate partners.

As we continue to mourn the losses from gun violence everywhere, we urge you to give voice to the concerns of your constituents and honor the memory of the 33,000 Americans killed by gun violence every year and enact real, meaningful, and responsible solutions that can help prevent gun tragedies, and make our communities safer places to live. Sincerely,

The Honorable Gabrielle Giffords, Former Congresswoman (2007-2012)*

The Honorable Madeleine K. Albright, Former United States Secretary of State*

Gail Becker, President of Strategic Partnerships and Global Integration and Chair of the Global Women's Network, Edelman*

Connie Britton, Actress and Activist*

Melanie L. Campbell, Convener, Black Women's Roundtable; President and CEO, NCBCP*

Dr. Brittney Cooper, Professor of Women's and Gender Studies and Africana Studies, Rutgers University*

Kim Gandy, President and CEO, National Network to End Domestic Violence*

Ruth Glenn, Executive Director, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence*

Chief Jane Harteau, Chief of Police, City of Minneapolis*

The Honorable Carla Hills, Former United States Trade Representative*

Nanxi Liu, Founder and CEO, Enplug Technologies

Dyllan McGee, Founder and Executive Producer, MAKERS*

Barbara Bailey Parker, Mother of Alison Parker and Gun Violence Prevention Advocate*

Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, President, Association of American Colleges and Universities*

Jennifer Pinckney, Gun Violence Survivor; Wife of the Late South Carolina State Senator Clementa Pinckney; Founder of The Honorable Reverend Clementa Pinckney Foundation*

Andrea Pino, Co-Founder and Director of Policy and Support, End Rape on Campus*

Katie Ray-Jones, CEO, The National Domestic Violence Hotline*

Dr. Debora Spar, President, Barnard College*

Neera Tanden, President, Center for American Progress*

Robyn Thomas, Executive Director, Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence*

The Honorable Ann Veneman, Former United States Secretary of Agriculture*

Shannon Watts, Founder, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America*

The Honorable Christine Todd Whitman, Former Governor of New Jersey*

Silvestre Acedillo, Founder and Creative Director, VENUTEC

The Honorable Lashrecse D. Aird, Delegate, Virginia House of Delegates

Leah Gunn Barrett, Executive Director, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence

Allie Bones, CEO, Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (ACESDV)

Dr. Alice Chen, Executive Director, Doctors for America

Cameka Crawford, Chief Communications Officer, The National Domestic Violence Hotline

Andrea Cuvelier

Donna Dees-Thomases, Founder, Million Mom March

Marium Durrani, Public Policy Attorney, National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV)

Dr. Regina Edwards, CEO, Arizona YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix

Judy Fisher, Moms Demand Action

Ilana Flemming, Manager of Advocacy Initiatives, Jewish Women International (JWI)

The Honorable Kate Gallego, Vice Mayor, City of Phoenix

Janet Gilmore

Shira Goodman, Executive Director, CeaseFire Pennsylvania

Rachel Graber, Public Policy Manager, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV)

Lanae Erickson Hatalsky, Vice President for Social Policy and Politics, Third Way

The Honorable Debra Heffernan, Representative, Delaware House of Representatives

Kathleen Higgins, Officer, Compliance Test Design/Analytics Specialist, Bank of America

Joani Horchler, Maryland Moms Demand Action

Carolyn Jenkins, Organizing for Action

Helene Keeley, Speaker Pro-Tempore, Delaware House of Representatives

Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy, USA (Ret.)

Nancy Kennedy

Babe King, Organizer, YELLOW TAPE PROJECT to Stop Gun Violence

Suzanne Koepplinger, Former Executive Director, Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center

Captain Gail Kulisch, USCG (Ret.)

Ronald Legrand, Vice President, Public Policy, National Network to End Domestic Violence

Dr. Barbara Levy, Vice President, Health Policy, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Gail Levyveld

Shelly Livingston, C Street Democrats

The Honorable Valerie Longhurst, Representative, Delaware House of Representatives

Jennifer Lynch, Oregon Alliance for Gun Safety

Natalie Marra

Heather Martens, Executive Director, Protect Minnesota

Martha Strawn Morris, Director, The Gateway Center for Domestic Violence Services

Nonna Noto, Jubilee Jobs

Chelsea Parsons, Vice President, Guns and Crime Policy, Center for American Progress

The Honorable Karen Peterson, Senator, Delaware State Senate

Jody Rabhan, Director, Washington Office, National Council of Jewish Women

Jane Randel, Co-Founder, Karp Randel

Beth Reilly, Faith Advocate and Organizer

Patricia Reuss, Policy Advisor, National Organization for Women

Carol Robles-Roman, President and CEO, Legal Momentum

The Honorable Katherine Rogers, New Hampshire House of Representatives

The Honorable Diane Rosenbaum, Senate Majority Leader, Oregon State Senate

Deborah Rosenbloom, Vice President of Programs and New Initiatives, Jewish Women International (JWI)

Arlene Schler

Jessica Scoratow, Georgetown Against Gun Violence

Rabbi Susan Shankman, Washington Hebrew Congregation

Katie Simon, Policy Organizing Manager, Brady Campaign

Dianne Snyder

The Honorable Liane Sorenson, Board Chair, Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence

Winnie Stachelberg, Executive Vice President, External Affairs, Center for American Progress

Kiersten Stewart, Policy Director, Futures Without Violence

Susan Stoltenberg, Executive Director, YWCA of Greater Portland

Diane Tattersall, Last Chance Animal Rescue

Sarah Trumble, Senior Policy Counsel, Third Way

The Honorable Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Mayor, City of Eden Prairie, Minnesota

Roberta Valente, Chief Officer for Government Affairs, The National Domestic Violence Hotline

Kristin Wald, Start Out Fresh Intervention Advocates

Lori Weinstein, CEO, Jewish Women International (JWI)

Melissa Youssef, Legal Aid, Institute of Policy Research

*Advisory Committee Members

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