Congress Still Must Act In Response To National Outcry
NEW YORK (January 5, 2016) -- National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial called President Obama’s executive orders on gun violence “courageous” and called on Congress to join the President and the majority of Americans in tackling a deadly problem.
“On average, more than 32,000 people in the United States died from gun violence every year, and more than 17,000 of them are children,” Morial said. “The year is less than a week old, and already more than 120 people have been killed by guns. Gun violence has outpaced automobile accidents as a leading cause of death.
“Gun violence is undeniably one of the worst public health crises in American history, yet our elected leaders have been woefully unresponsive. It’s hard to imagine such inaction in the face of any other plague responsible for such death and devastation,” he said.
Morial noted that President Obama’s plan to expand background checks undoubtedly will save lives.
“In states that require a background check for private handgun sales, the rate of women shot to death by their domestic partners is nearly halved,” Morial said. “Those states also see half as many firearm suicides and half as many law enforcement responders shot to death. It’s hard to argue with results like these.”
Morial said he has been alarmed by the undue influence the firearm industry has wielded over Congress and its apparent ability to block commonsense safety reforms like banning assault weapons and keeping guns out of the hands of the mentally ill and domestic abusers.’
“The vast majority of the American people support increased safety measures, yet Congress has been afraid to respond,” Morial said. “With tens of thousands of Americans dying, our leaders must find the courage to act.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Teresa Candori
(212) 558-5362 | tcandori@nul.org
