Statements in Response to President Trump Gun Announcement

Washington D.C., March 11, 2018 — Quotes from Avery Gardiner, Co-President, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

• "Americans expecting real leadership to prevent gun violence will be disappointed and troubled by President Trump's dangerous retreat from his promise to break the Washington gridlock around gun violence and to stand up to the NRA.
• "On February 28, President Trump announced his interest in real measures that form the core of the Brady Campaign's 3-Point Plan to reduce gun violence: expanding background checks to all gun purchases; banning new assault weapons and high capacity magazines; and enabling court issued restraining orders against people who are a threat to themselves or others, and preventing their access to guns or separating them from firearms already in their possession."

Quotes from Kris Brown, Co-President, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

• "Americans should be able to expect President Trump to follow-through on the critical measures he acknowledged were needed, but today's announcement was woefully inadequate and showed a profound lack of leadership that is crucial at this time.
• "President Trump has offered only drips of water in response to a five-alarm fire. His weak response today ignores the will of Americans from across the political spectrum who support the Brady Center's 3-point plan — including many of the eloquent voices of Parkland students who endured what no young people should ever have to endure."

Adding Records to NICS is Not Enough – Need Expanded Background Checks for all Gun Sales

Quotes from Avery Gardiner, Co-President, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

• "While the President and others talk about the importance of strong background checks for gun buyers, simply adding disqualifying records to the National Instant Background Check System (NICS) is alarmingly insufficient and obfuscates the very urgent problem. One in five guns sold in America isn't subject to a Brady background check because federal law only requires licensed dealers, not private sellers, to check whether the buyer is a felon, or a domestic abuser, or a fugitive from justice.
• "Adding prohibited purchasers to the NICS system is critical, as the Brady Campaign's recent NICS report shows, but it won't matter how many names are in the system if a background check is never conducted. Background checks must be expanded to cover all sales - whether through a licensed gun dealer or from an individual."

Quotes from Kris Brown, Co-President, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

• "It's time for our leaders to start listening to America's students and the public as a whole - not the special interest gun lobby.
• "The March 14 nationwide school walkout and all of the students' extraordinary efforts since the horrific shooting at Parkland, are waking up the political establishment to the real-life consequences of gun violence and the trauma that it inflicts on our nation's young people.
• "We need adults in Congress to listen to the public and pass gun reforms that put the safety of our children first, not to kowtow to the gun lobby and the dangerous policies it promotes.
• "Americans have never been so engaged and ready to hold politicians accountable. The Brady Campaign will continue to help Americans understand the difference between real steps to reduce gun violence and public relations window dressing."