From the Desk of... Michael Douglas The NRA Wants to End the Assault Weapons Ban and Protect Negligent Gun Dealers Ten years ago a progressive coalition of citizens and legislators passed two major gun safety laws: a ban on assault weapons and the Brady bill -- named for President Reagan's press secretary who survived being shot in the head. These two laws played a key role in the remarkable reduction in violent crime and make America a safer place. But today, the National Rifle Association is leading an aggressive campaign to gut the protections of the Brady Bill and to end the assault weapons ban. First, NRA lobbyists inserted text into an unrelated spending bill that will require that records of gun purchases be destroyed within 24 hours. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies say this will make it harder to catch violent criminals. And the NRA is also pushing hard to prevent Congress from renewing the landmark Assault Weapons Ban of 1994. Letting the ban expire would put military-style, rapid-fire assault weapons that have been banned for the last ten years back on the street. Police departments, victims' rights advocates, and community groups across the country fear the consequences of getting these killers back into the hands of criminals. Lastly, the NRA wants to prevent victims of gun crimes from seeking redress from negligent gun dealers like Bull's Eye Shooter Supply, which armed the D.C. snipers and sold 67 other guns used in crimes. The NRA thinks the victims and their families shouldn't get their day in court. We need to tell our elected leaders to stand up to the NRA. Please click here to sign the petition we will send to members of Congress urging them to defend the Brady Bill, maintain the assault weapons ban, and preserve the rights of gun crime victims. Or, if you’d like more information, StoptheNRA has a great website on these issues at: www.nrablacklist.com Sincerely,

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