USCM President Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter Says Mayors Will Push for Congressional Passage of Feinstein Assault Weapons Ban Bill

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) President Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter today commended the Senate Judiciary Committee for its passage of legislation put forth by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) that bans assault weapons.

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Nutter stood with Senator Feinstein when she introduced The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 on Capitol Hill in January, and testified at the Committee's hearing on the bill last month. 

"Unfortunately, mayors see the effects of gun violence in their cities everyday, so this is not a new issue to the Conference, whose policy is in alignment with the Feinstein bill," said Mayor Nutter.  "After all of our work on this issue over the years, the nation's mayors are pleased to see Senator Feinstein's bill moving out of Committee and look forward to a floor vote on the legislation."

Since 1968, the Conference of Mayors has had strong policy in support of reducing of gun violence.  The organization has worked closely over the years with police chiefs in the development of policies and in the enactment of critical legislation, including the Brady Act, which established the national background check system, and the 1994 crime bill, which established the COPS program and a ten-year federal ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

The Conference of Mayors also applauds the Committee's approval of a measure by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to close the background check loophole, a measure by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to combat straw purchases and illegal gun trafficking, as well as a measure by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) that supports more funding for school security.

"Gun violence is destroying our communities, our streets and our families.  The nation's mayors are on a mission to do what it takes to see these bills signed into law," said Mayor Nutter. 

Just three days after the Newtown tragedy, Conference leaders and mayors from across the country sent an open letter to President Obama and Congress urging the President to exercise his powers though Executive Order and Congress to introduce and pass legislation to make reasonable changes in the nation's gun laws and regulations (http://www.usmayors.org/pressreleases/uploads/2013/0128-document-lettertocongress.pdf).  More than 200 mayors have now co-signed the letter. 

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,295 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

SOURCE The U.S. Conference of Mayors