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Thompson Urges Congress to Keep Poison Pill Gun Riders Out of Funding Bills

May 24, 2017

Washington – As the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations begins work on its bills for Fiscal Year 2018, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05)—Chairman of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force—led 120 bipartisan Members of Congress demanding that important funding bills be free from harmful gun language, or "riders." In previous years, gun riders on appropriations bills have had serious consequences and hindered gun violence prevention. The Dickey amendment, for example, has had a chilling effect on the studying of gun violence in America.

"Our communities have been devastated by gun violence, and the American people have had enough," said Thompson. "After countless mass shootings and acts of violence in our communities, our nation is keeping a close eye on the actions we take to address our gun policies. Any changes to our laws should be taken seriously. Amendments should be debated and thoroughly vetted—not tacked on to must-pass appropriations bills. Attaching harmful riders would be irresponsible and disrespectful to those who lost their lives to gun violence."

The full text of Thompson's letter to Speaker Paul Ryan and Leader Nancy Pelosi can be found here or by visiting https://mikethompson.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/mikethompson-evo.house.gov/files/FY18_Gun_Riders_Letter_FINAL.pdf.

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