WASHINGTON- The following is a statement from Rep. Louise Slaughter (NY-25).

“Americans have a fundamental right to be free and safe from gun violence in their communities, and the President’s plan is a bold step toward preserving that right. Since the tragedy at Newtown that robbed us of 20 young lives and the tragedy in Webster, over 900 of our friends, neighbors, and children have been killed with a gun. I’m a microbiologist by trade – if 900 people died in one month from an unnatural cause, we would call it an epidemic, and our response would be swift.”

“As the President and Vice President said, even conservative icons like Ronald Reagan – who wrote a letter to Congress in 1994 urging them to approve the assault weapons ban – and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia – who said that military weapons like M16 rifles do not deserve 2^nd Amendment rights – recognized the need for common-sense protections from gun violence. This is a belief shared by the vast majority of the American people, and it is our duty as their federal representatives to deliver. As a member of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I will fight as hard as I can to make sure these life-saving protections become law.”

Background information:

Despite what you may be hearing from the NRA noise machine, public polling shows significant support for many of the president’s proposals.

• Background checks on firearms buyers at gun shows – 88%
• Background checks on all buyers of ammunition – 76%
• Federal database to track gun sales – 71%
• A ban on high-capacity magazines – 68%
• An assault weapons ban – 58%

It is important to remember that the NRA’s policies largely represent gun manufacturers, not gun owners. Polls of NRA members show that many gun owners favor the president’s commonsense proposals rather than the out-of-touch agenda of the NRA.

• Requiring background checks for every gun purchase (74% NRA member support);
• Requiring background checks on gun shop employees (79% NRA member support);
• Prohibiting individuals on the terrorist watch list from purchasing firearms (71% NRA member support);
• Requiring gun owners to report to police when their guns are lost or stolen (64% NRA member supports); and
• Establishing minimum standards for concealed carry permits (63-75% NRA member support for each standard)

More background information available upon request.