Washington, D.C. — Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, released the following statement on the United States Senate’s rejection of a campaign finance disclosure measure: “The campaign disclosure bill rejected today by the U.S. Senate was seriously flawed by its cynical exemption for the National Rifle Association, one of the largest players trying to influence public policy through its campaign expenditures. Such a measure did not deserve to pass in that form. “I would urge the House and Senate to pass a fair bill that provides the American people with the knowledge they need about who is ...read the full release

Washington, D.C. - The National Rifle Association, Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck are using the anniversary and site of Dr. Martin Luther King’s 1963 March on Washington for what they are calling a “Restoring Honor Rally.” Calling the date of this rally “divine providence,” Beck, the talk show host, has partnered with the NRA and Palin to help him generate interest in the August 28 event. The NRA placed a four-page advertisement for the event outside its monthly magazine, First Freedom. The ad is at www.bradycampaign.org/xshare/bcam/gunlobby/nra/NRA-1st-Freedom-Beck-Palin.pdf. In a blog just posted, Brady Campaign President Paul Helmke today wrote:“…this is the ...read the full release

Joint Release from Six National Gun Violence Prevention Organizations Washington, DC--The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote tomorrow (Tuesday, July 27) on a bill that would protect guns from the claims of creditors in bankruptcy proceedings (H.R. 5827).  The national gun violence prevention organizations Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, GunFreeKids.org, Legal Community Against Violence, Protest Easy Guns, and Violence Policy Center are adamantly opposed to the legislation.According to the groups, facts show that the last thing a family struggling with bankruptcy needs is access to a gun.   Specifically, the presence of guns in ...read the full release

Washington, D.C. - Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, issued the following statement about today’s 10-1 decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, sitting en banc, upholding the conviction of a repeat domestic violence offender, Steven Skoien, for illegally possessing a firearm even though he had been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor.  “Today's decision that the Second Amendment does not give domestic violence offenders a right to possess guns is reassuring, but it should not be surprising.  Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed that the Second Amendment allows ...read the full release

BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCECOALITION TO STOP GUN VIOLENCEPROTEST EASY GUNS.ORG Washington, D.C. - Survivors and family members of the victims of the Virginia Tech tragedy today released a statement, a day before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee is to host a forum on legislation to close the gun show loophole. (The forum will be at 2 PM Wednesday, July 14 in the House Judiciary Committee hearing room, 2141 Rayburn House Office Building.)Statement of Virginia Tech Survivors and Family MembersThe families of the victims, the survivors and their families would all like to thank Congressman Bobby Scott for his leadership ...read the full release

Washington, D.C. - Leaders of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, along with Jim and Sarah Brady today announced their endorsement of Terri Sewell, running for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District. “From her childhood beginnings in Selma, to Princeton University and Harvard Law School and Oxford University, to serving her country on behalf of two U.S. Senators from Alabama, Terri Sewell has worked tirelessly to give back to her community,” said Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign.  “She is remarkably qualified to serve the people of Alabama in Congress, ...read the full release

Washington, DC - God Bless America. On the eve of the Fourth of July, as Americans reflect on the history of the nation’s founding and contemplate its future, the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence has released the latest edition of its God Bless America poster, documenting that, in one year, guns murdered 17 people in Finland, 35 in Australia, 39 in England and Wales, 60 in Spain, 194 in Germany, 200 in Canada, and 9,484 in the United States.  When compared by gun murders relative to population size, the facts hold true: Citizens of the U.S. are murdered with ...read the full release

Washington, D.C. - The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence today announced the organization’s support for the confirmation of Elena Kagan as an associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.  Brady Center President Paul Helmke made the following statement: “Before the confirmation hearings, we were encouraged that Elena Kagan appeared to be closely involved and supportive of the Clinton Administration’s aggressive response to the nation’s gun violence epidemic.” Helmke said. “Her testimony has provided ample reason to think that she will interpret and apply the Second Amendment consistent with the urgent need to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands ...read the full release

Washington, D.C. - The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and Colorado gun violence prevention groups today filed a friend of the court brief in the Colorado Supreme Court in support of the University of Colorado’s efforts to keep guns off campus.  The University is seeking review by the Colorado Supreme Court of a lower court ruling allowing a lawsuit to proceed that seeks to force guns onto the University’s campuses.The Brady Center argues in its brief that the University’s policy is a reasonable and Constitutional response to the grave dangers posed by armed students and campus visitors and is ...read the full release

Washington, D.C. – Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Center and Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, issued the following statement:“We can expect two things as a result of today's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in McDonald v. Chicago: the gun lobby and gun criminals will use it to try to strike down gun laws, and those legal challenges will continue to fail.    “We are pleased that the Court reaffirmed its language in District of Columbia v. Heller that the Second Amendment individual right to possess guns in the home for self-defense does not prevent our elected representatives ...read the full release