Quigley Calls for Increased Federal Resources to Combat Gun Violence

Press Release

Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) offered two amendments to the FY2015 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill to increase federal public safety resources and help law enforcement combat gun violence in Chicago.

"At a time when entire neighborhoods in Chicago are being torn apart by gun violence, now more than ever we need to increase federal resources to go after gun traffickers and put more cops on the street," said Rep. Quigley. "Requiring gun dealers to conduct annual inventories will help law enforcement combat the flow of illegal weapons to our city streets. Funding COPS grants will give cities the resources to hire the police officers they need to fight crime. I offered these amendments today because it's time for Congress to take a stand against violent crime and give law enforcement the tools they need to keep our communities safe."

Rep. Quigley's first amendment would remove a controversial gun rider from the bill that prohibits the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from requiring gun dealers to conduct annual inventory inspections and report missing or stolen weapons. Tens of thousands of guns go missing from gun dealer inventories every year, often ending up in the hands of criminals, because this harmful rider prevents the ATF from effectively identifying lost and stolen guns.

Rep. Quigley also introduced an amendment to increase funding for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) hiring grants that provide federal funds to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire additional police officers. These funds are vital to Chicago's efforts to fight the city's gun violence epidemic.

Rep. Quigley believes gun violence in Chicago demands federal action. He is the author of the TRACE Act, which cracks down on the illegal gun market by improving gun tracking data, and is an original sponsor of the Buyback our Safety Act to bolster gun buyback initiatives. Rep. Quigley was appointed to the House Committee on Appropriations at the start of the 113th Congress. He is the only Illinois member currently serving on the committee, which is responsible to approving the federal government's annual spending levels for nearly all federal programs.

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