Boston – Today the House of Representatives passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, a bill that dismantles state-level concealed carry permitting systems and creates a race to the bottom for safety standards.
“Just two months after the deadliest mass shooting in recent American history, the House of Representatives has chosen blood money campaign contributions over the lives of innocent Americans,” said John Rosenthal, founder of Stop Handgun Violence. “It wasn’t enough that 58 people were murdered and 550 injured at a concert in Las Vegas or that 26 were killed in Sutherland Springs during church. Congress continues to undermine effective and proven state gun laws that save lives, simply to placate their gun industry benefactors whose only concern is to increase gun violence, fear, gun sales and campaign contributions.”
John Rosenthal continued, “Congress is culpable for the dangerous and nonsensical gun policies that make daily mass shootings inevitable, leaving an average of 100 Americans dead and over 200 injured from gun violence every day in the US – with 158,000 dead just since the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 and over 1.15 million killed since 1980. Congress took zero action when 20 first graders and six teachers died at Sandy Hook, 32 died at Virginia Tech, 70 were shot at Aurora, 107 killed or injured at Orlando, and – now they are taking action to loosen gun laws. Congress has blood on its hands and this epidemic will only get worse with the passage of this bill. We urge the senate not to pass this bill.”
Commissioner William Evans of the Boston Police Department joined Stop Handgun Violence in opposing the bill. “The Concealed Carry and Reciprocity Act most assuredly puts the safety of all police officers and the public at risk,” said Commissioner Evans. “This dangerous legislation would allow gun owners to bring their guns into Boston unchecked and concealed at a time when my officers are working tirelessly to keep guns and the damage and devastation they cause out of our city. Nobody knows better than local law enforcement officers who should or shouldn’t be permitted to carry a gun in their neighborhood. Taking that authority away from those most qualified to make that determination is irresponsible and dangerous.”
Massachusetts Attorney General, Maura Healey, also joined Stop Handgun Violence in opposing this legislation. “In the aftermath of so many mass shootings, it would be tragic for this to become the next deadly loophole in our nation’s gun laws,” said Attorney General Maura Healey. “This legislation is dangerous for the state of Massachusetts, our law enforcement officers, and our residents. We are disappointed in the House for passing this reckless legislation and we urge the Senate to respect state laws, to protect the safety of our communities, and to reject this bill.”
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Stop Handgun Violence (SHV) is a Massachusetts based non-profit organization committed to the prevention of gun violence through education, public awareness, effective law enforcement and common sense gun laws. SHV has been the lead advocate in Massachusetts for enactment of the most effective gun violence prevention laws and first in the nation consumer protection regulations. The organization does not seek to restrict Constitutional rights, but advocates only for common sense legislation that will help save lives. For more information, go to www.stophandgunviolence.org