CHAIRMAN MIKE THOMPSON LEADS CALL TO END GUN RIDERS IN APPROPRIATIONS BILLS
May 8, 2013
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5), chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, today led more than 100 of his colleagues in sending a letter to House Speaker John Boehner and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi urging that Fiscal Year 2014 appropriations bills not include legislative language, or “riders”, that would block efforts to reduce and prevent gun violence.
“These riders aid criminals and make our communities less safe,” said Thompson. “They are nothing more than backdoor legislative tactics that prevent the Centers for Disease Control or the National Institutes of Health from conducting research on the causes of gun violence. And, they restrict our law enforcement officers' ability to track and combat the spread of illegal guns. The American people deserve an open debate."
In previous appropriations bills, gun-related riders have been added without open debate and have acted as roadblocks to reducing and preventing gun violence.
These riders have prevented law enforcement from requiring federally licensed firearm dealers from keeping an inventory of their firearms, prevented law enforcement and academic institutions from using gun trace data to better understand the pattern of criminal gun transfers, and stifled scientific research into the causes of gun violence and the means of preventing it.
Thompson's task force recommended that Congress should act to repeal these riders and restore funding for public safety and law enforcement initiatives aimed at reducing gun violence. The task force urged Congress to fund law enforcement's efforts to reduce gun violence, while supporting federal research into the causes of gun violence.
In policy principle number nine found here the task force recommended that Congress remove the Dickey, Rehberg and Tiahrt restrictions.
The full text of the letter is below.
The Honorable John Boehner
Speaker of the House
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Minority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi:
As the House Committee on Appropriations develops each of the twelve fiscal year (FY) 2014 appropriations bills, we urge that you ensure the committee's legislation not include any legislative language or “riders” that impact the enforcement of gun laws, the operations of Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL), or research into the causes of gun violence and how to prevent it. Gun violence reduction and prevention is an important and sensitive issue. Given the renewed national focus on gun violence prevention, now is not the time to include controversial appropriations riders that impact gun laws.
Instead, gun violence prevention measures must be seriously and properly considered by Congress through the regular order. This must be done in an open and transparent process where a full range of options can be frankly discussed and debated by the proper committees of jurisdiction and the entire House of Representatives. We believe that the appropriations process, which determines funding levels for the federal government, is not the appropriate way to modify or implement gun laws. In addition to bypassing the proper congressional process, these riders have had unintended consequences that would have come to light had they been properly discussed.
As you know, previous appropriations riders have acted as a roadblock to reducing and preventing gun violence. The Tiahrt and Rehberg amendments, among others, have prevented law enforcement from requiring FFLs to keep an inventory of their firearms, prevented law enforcement and academic institutions from using gun trace data to better understand the pattern of crime gun transfers, and chilled unbiased scientific research into the causes of gun violence and the means of preventing it.
As the FY 2014 appropriations process begins through its respective subcommittees, we urge you to support the development of legislation that is free from all gun related riders. Thank you for your consideration of this matter.
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and chairs the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
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“These riders aid criminals and make our communities less safe,” said Thompson. “They are nothing more than backdoor legislative tactics that prevent the Centers for Disease Control or the National Institutes of Health from conducting research on the causes of gun violence. And, they restrict our law enforcement officers' ability to track and combat the spread of illegal guns. The American people deserve an open debate."
In previous appropriations bills, gun-related riders have been added without open debate and have acted as roadblocks to reducing and preventing gun violence.
These riders have prevented law enforcement from requiring federally licensed firearm dealers from keeping an inventory of their firearms, prevented law enforcement and academic institutions from using gun trace data to better understand the pattern of criminal gun transfers, and stifled scientific research into the causes of gun violence and the means of preventing it.
Thompson's task force recommended that Congress should act to repeal these riders and restore funding for public safety and law enforcement initiatives aimed at reducing gun violence. The task force urged Congress to fund law enforcement's efforts to reduce gun violence, while supporting federal research into the causes of gun violence.
In policy principle number nine found here the task force recommended that Congress remove the Dickey, Rehberg and Tiahrt restrictions.
The full text of the letter is below.
May 7, 2013
The Honorable John Boehner
Speaker of the House
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Minority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi:
As the House Committee on Appropriations develops each of the twelve fiscal year (FY) 2014 appropriations bills, we urge that you ensure the committee's legislation not include any legislative language or “riders” that impact the enforcement of gun laws, the operations of Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL), or research into the causes of gun violence and how to prevent it. Gun violence reduction and prevention is an important and sensitive issue. Given the renewed national focus on gun violence prevention, now is not the time to include controversial appropriations riders that impact gun laws.
Instead, gun violence prevention measures must be seriously and properly considered by Congress through the regular order. This must be done in an open and transparent process where a full range of options can be frankly discussed and debated by the proper committees of jurisdiction and the entire House of Representatives. We believe that the appropriations process, which determines funding levels for the federal government, is not the appropriate way to modify or implement gun laws. In addition to bypassing the proper congressional process, these riders have had unintended consequences that would have come to light had they been properly discussed.
As you know, previous appropriations riders have acted as a roadblock to reducing and preventing gun violence. The Tiahrt and Rehberg amendments, among others, have prevented law enforcement from requiring FFLs to keep an inventory of their firearms, prevented law enforcement and academic institutions from using gun trace data to better understand the pattern of crime gun transfers, and chilled unbiased scientific research into the causes of gun violence and the means of preventing it.
As the FY 2014 appropriations process begins through its respective subcommittees, we urge you to support the development of legislation that is free from all gun related riders. Thank you for your consideration of this matter.
Sincerely,
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and chairs the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
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