30 Years Later, Countless Lives Saved: Brady Background Checks

PLUS: Victory in Baltimore, remembering Trayvon Martin, and more Friend, This week marked 30 years since the landmark Brady Bill was enacted into law after years of advocacy by Jim and Sarah Brady, our fearless namesakes. That day, the Brady Background Check System was established, helping ensure gun dealers don’t sell firearms to prohibited gun purchasers. After Jim was shot during the 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan, he and Sarah knew our country urgently needed common-sense solutions to prevent the trauma and pain that their family experienced. Now, three decades later, we know Jim and Sarah would be proud of the results. But a lot has changed in the past 30 years. The Internet didn’t exist and gun shows hadn't become the big businesses they are today, creating deadly gaps in our laws that allow otherwise prohibited purchasers to circumvent a background check in acquiring firearms. In fact, today in America, 1 in 5 guns are still sold WITHOUT a Brady Background Check, including at gun shows and on thriving online gun marketplaces. ENOUGH. There is legislation before Congress right now that will address these loopholes and help save countless lives — and that’s why we’re reaching out to you today, friend. [In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Brady Bill, will you join us in calling on Congress to strengthen and expand Brady Background Checks? With the NRA now crumbling, we have a real, fighting chance to advance this legislation and fulfill Jim and Sarah’s vision of a safer America free of gun violence. But we need your support!]( [TAKE ACTION ]( In solidarity, Team Brady   VICTORY: Top Ghost Gun Manufacturer Settles Case With the City of Baltimore “This is a victory for the City of Baltimore and the fight for gun industry accountability.” — [Philip Bangle, Brady senior litigation counsel]( Weeks ago, Brady declared victory when Polymer80 — America’s largest manufacturer of ghost guns — settled a lawsuit with the City of Baltimore. Brady’s legal team represented the city and fought for years in the courts, alleging Polymer80 fueled gun violence in Baltimore by selling ghost guns to subvert life-saving Brady Background Checks. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, these untraceable firearms have proliferated across the nation at an astounding rate. They’re, by design, the perfect firearm for individuals who are unable to purchase a gun from a licensed gun dealer — including prohibited gun purchasers and minors. [This legal victory is yet another example of local elected officials and their constituents taking action to protect their communities from these deadly weapons. Now, this settlement will help prevent the flow of ghost guns and force Polymer80 to contribute to healing the City of Baltimore for the injuries and trauma its products inflicted on the city.]( [READ MORE ](   Remembering Trayvon Martin We’re remembering Trayvon Martin, who was brutally murdered in Florida 12 years ago this week. In the aftermath of this senseless tragedy, a racist and discriminatory ["Stand Your Ground” law]( was invoked to defend his killer. “Stand Your Ground” laws allow a person to use a firearm to shoot and kill another person anywhere, at any time. Trayvon should still be here with us today. But America's dark history of racism, coupled with reckless “Stand Your Ground” laws, is why he — and countless other Black and Brown Americans — are not. We must each vow to take action to address our country’s deadly mix of weak gun laws and systemic racism. In honor of Trayvon, please join us by taking action today. [READ ABOUT STAND YOUR GROUND ]( [PODCAST ON STAND YOUR GROUND ]( [NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre Found Liable in Civil Corruption Suit]( The Daily Beast [Federal Data Reveals Gun Stores Whose Firearms Have Been Used in Many Crimes]( NBC News [Skilla Baby on a Mission to Buy Guns in Detroit – Here’s Why]( All Hip Hop [Three Decades After the Brady Bill, Some Gun Buyers Still Don’t Undergo Background Checks]( The Trace [ATF List Shows 6 Northeast Ohio Stores That Sold 25+ Guns Traced to Crime in a Single Year]( Akron Beacon Journal [RETWEET ](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( Brady 840 First Street, NE Suite 400 Washington, DC 20002 United States [unsubscribe](.