Letter to Mike Thompson, Chair and Elizabeth Esty, Vice-Chair of House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force - End Gun Riders in Appropriations Bills

Letter

Dear Chairman Thompson and Vice-Chair Esty,

Thank you for your letter regarding the fiscal year 2015 House Appropriations legislation. I appreciate your strong leadership on the issue of gun-related policy riders in the appropriations process.

Too often, Members of Congress have used amendments in must-pass legislation to upend research into the causes of gun violence and the means to prevent it; limit the sharing of gun trace data; and block law enforcement from requiring gun dealers to account for their inventory. These riders have made our communities less secure and left our neighborhoods less safe.

As you made clear in your letter, new gun laws should not be made in the shadows of the appropriations process, hidden from public view. Gun-related measures must have a fair and honest debate, conducted through regular order, considered by relevant committees, and brought openly to the floor of the House.

All of us take a solemn oath on the first day of every Congress: to protect and defend the Constitution and the people of the United States. When more than 12,000 people lose their lives to gun violence each year, and thousands more are wounded, it is clear that far more must be done to uphold this promise. It is not enough to hold a moment of silence when a major shooting incident occurs; it is our responsibility to act to strengthen background checks, keep firearms out of the wrong hands, and stem the tide of gun violence in our schools, cities, and nation.

From the first days of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, you have led the Congress in the effort to devise, develop, and debate legislation to reduce and halt gun violence. Your persistence and perseverance have proven essential to keeping this challenge front and center. You have ensured that the memories of victims from Newtown to Tucson and elsewhere are never forgotten -- and that the House of Representatives remains focused on steps to prevent these tragedies in the future.

I support your request for an appropriations process that begins through the appropriate committees and develops legislation free of harmful, dangerous, and unnecessary gun policy riders.

Thank you for your leadership.

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