Mitch McConnell, VAWA, & more

It's been a year since VAWA expired ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Dear {NAME}, Picture this: After more than a year, Sen. Mitch McConnell finally brings gun safety legislation to the Senate for a vote. The bill has bipartisan support and more than a simple majority of 51 senators want to pass it, including Sen. McConnell. The bill would pass, right? Wrong. Why? Because the game is rigged. If Sen. McConnell were to bring gun safety legislation to a vote tomorrow, it would be dead on arrival. That’s because of the Senate's harmful 60-vote “supermajority” rule. The only way to pass nearly any bill in the Senate is for 60 senators to vote in its favor. This undemocratic rule has blocked every major gun reform bill for the past 25 years. Bottom line: The "supermajority" rule defies logic. If 51 senators — a simple majority — are in favor of a bill, it should pass. That’s why we're telling senators: #51IsFair. We need a simple majority vote to pass meaningful gun violence prevention legislation. [Sign our petition telling your senator #51IsFair!]( [Sign our petition!]( Boo, Mitch McConnell! ICYMI: This week, Mitch McConnell celebrated his 78th birthday. To date, McConnell has taken more than $1.2 million in campaign contributions from the NRA. Because of his greed, tens of thousands of gun violence victims will never have another birthday. [That’s why we’re “celebrating” his birthday by raising money to OUST him from office. You can "DISHONOR' Mitch McConnell's birthday by donating to Brady in his name.]( ❌ Virginia Lawmakers Reject a Bill to Ban Assault Weapons Despite tireless calls, emails, and meetings by gun safety advocates, on Monday a Virginia Senate committee voted to table a lifesaving bill to ban assault weapons. We are disappointed, but we are not deterred. Right now, we're working diligently to pass the seven gun safety bills moving in the Virginia state legislature. These lifesaving bills include expanded background checks, updates to the child access prevention law, and important safety requirements for reporting lost or stolen firearms. We can’t let up! Do you live in Virginia? [>> Please send a message now urging your state senator to support the remainder of Governor Northam’s gun safety package]( Not a Virginian? [>> Please share this image on Facebook to help us reach as many Virginians as possible!]( [Share on Facebook!]( Hopefuls Fail to Meaningfully Address Gun Violence Two years ago, a gunman opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas. Fifty-eight people were murdered and more than 800 injured in what was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Yet when Democratic candidates met in Las Vegas this week, moderators failed to ask a single question about gun violence. It’s unconscionable that they sat just blocks away from the site of the shooting but gave no mention to this massacre. Gun violence must be addressed at every debate going forward. The next debate takes place Tuesday, February 25, in Charleston, SC, and CBS News is accepting questions. We must ensure that moderators ask thoughtful questions about the candidates' solutions to all forms of gun violence — including a reference to the 2015 shooting perpetuated by a white supremacist at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. [Make your voice heard by submitting your question here](. [Submit a question now!]( Throughout Black History Month, our podcast discusses racial justice within the movement to end gun violence. We feature activists, survivors, elected officials, and academics who have fought to prevent gun violence in America and draw attention to the disproportionate effects of gun violence on Black and Brown communities. You don't want to miss an episode! [Subscribe now by searching your favorite podcast app for “Red, Blue, and Brady]( [Subscribe!]( February Marks One Year Without the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Easy access to guns makes domestic violence deadly. Every 16 hours in America, a woman is fatally shot by a current or former partner. We also know that 54% of mass shootings are related to domestic or family violence. Yet this month marks a year since Congress let VAWA expire. That’s an entire year that the lives of victims of domestic violence have been on the line. you or someone you know need help or a safe place? Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or visit [thehotline.org](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Why haven’t senators reauthorized VAWA? Two words: The NRA. When the House passed legislation to reauthorize VAWA last spring, they included a lifesaving provision to close the deadly “boyfriend loophole,” which allows convicted domestic abusers and stalkers to access guns. But the NRA lobbied hard against this measure, leaving VAWA unauthorized and women at risk. We need the Senate to do right by women and victims of gun violence. [>> ACT NOW: Urge your senators to reauthorize VAWA!]( [Virginia Legislature Turns Down Ban on Military-Style Weapons]( New York Times [Parkland Families Gather in Washington, D.C., Hoping for Change On Two Year Anniversary of Shooting that Killed 17 People]( KCAU [Letters to the Editor]( New York Times [Virginia's ban on assault weapons sales blocked in Senate committee]( USA TodayVirginians spoke loud and clear when they elected a gun violence prevention majority for the first time in a decade. Historic progress has been made by the House of Delegates, led by gun safety champions Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, Delegate Dan Helmer, Delegate Patrick Hope, and Delegate Mark Levin. These leaders will not bow to intimidation tactics. We saw that last weekend, when a pro-gun extremist armed with an assault rifle and high-capacity magazines [stood outside of Delegate Levin’s home](. The extremist was attempting to intimidate Levin to withdraw his vote to ban assault weapons. Levin bravely voted in favor of the bill. But let’s be clear: armed intimidation has no place in America. This is not who we are as a country. The only way to end gun violence is united, not divided. Please send a tweet thanking these Virginia leaders for having the courage to stand up to the gun lobby! [Historic progress on gun safety has been made by @VAHouseDems, led by gun safety champions @EFillerCorn, @HelmerVA, @HopeforVirginia, and @DelegateMark. Thank you for having the courage to stand up to the gun lobby!]( [Tweet this!]( "While we are disappointed in [Virginia's] vote, we are undeterred. Assault-style weapons, large-capacity magazines, and other accessories designed to heighten the lethality of firearms have no place in our communities. In the meantime, the Judiciary Committee and Virginia Senate must swiftly pass the remaining seven, common-sense gun violence prevention laws before them. We need the action that voters demanded in November." —Brady President Kris Brown in [Fox News]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [DONATE]( Our work is made possible by supporters like you. [Follow us on Facebook]( [Follow us on Twitter]( [Follow us on Instagram]( Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence 840 First Street, NE Suite 400 Washington, DC 20002 United States Paid for by the Brady Campaign. Contributions to the Brady Campaign are not tax deductible. 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