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Calling on the state Senate to take the necessary steps to stop illegal gun trafficking and ban "cop-killer"
bullets that were left undone during December's extraordinary session, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today urged
further legislative action at the state and federal level to implement comprehensive measures aimed at protecting New
Yorkers from gun violence. "New York's gun laws will only go so far to curb gun violence so long as the patchwork of
state laws across our nation continues to create loopholes that allow vast quantities of weapons to be purchased legally and
transported elsewhere,"
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Calling on the state Senate to take the necessary steps to stop illegal gun trafficking and ban cop-killer bullets that were left
undone during the recently concluded extraordinary session, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today urged further legislative
action at the state and federal level to implement comprehensive measures aimed at protecting New Yorkers from gun violence.
Joining with Silver at a news conference on the steps of City Hall in Manhattan were members of the Assembly Majority, Patrolmen's
Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch and Eric Adams, president, 100 Black Law Enforcement Officers Who Care. Also
participating in supporting Silver's call for legislative action were New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (NYAGV), The Brady Campaign to
Prevent Gun Violence and the Million Mom March. State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and United States Representative Carolyn
McCarthy who could not attend the news conference also expressed their support for further action.
Last month, the Assembly, Senate and the governor came together to enact legislation that dramatically increases penalties for crimes
against law-enforcement officials and stiffens penalties for gun trafficking. The leaders said, however, that much more work remains
to be done.
"Gun violence is an insidious threat that affects every community. From gang violence in the inner cities to domestic violence and
accidental shootings in suburbs and rural communities, no part of our state has been left untouched by gun violence," said
Silver (D-Manhattan). "Today, we are calling on the governor and the Senate to set aside their unquestioning support of the
radical gun lobby - particularly when it flies in the face of public safety - and support measures that ban cop-killer bullets, require gun
dealers to cooperate with the police during investigations of violent crimes and stop guns from falling into criminal hands.
Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch joined Speaker Silver in support of legislation passed by the
Assembly on Monday to ban "cop-killer" bullets, which can penetrate bullet-proof vests. He also called for
federal action continue to stem the flow of illegal gun trafficking. "Too often, police officers make the ultimate
sacrifice at the point of an illegal gun. New York State has toughened its laws against illegal gun possession and sales and
now we need the federal government to do the same," said Lynch.
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On Monday, the Assembly passed a comprehensive, nine-bill package aimed at better protecting all New Yorkers through a series of
measures, including legislation to prevent guns from being diverted from the legal stream of commerce to individuals who are not legally
entitled to possess life-threatening weapons, ban "cop-killer" armor piercing bullets, and close a loophole in current law
that allows convicted violent felons to possess firearms.
"We need to take aggressive action to protect all New Yorkers, particularly our law enforcement officers, from the danger of gun
violence, said Spitzer. "That includes banning armor piercing bullets, enhancing our ability to use ballistics evidence to solve
crimes, and imposing common-sense regulations on gun dealers to reduce the number of illegal guns on the street. I support the
passage of these bills, which will help save the lives of innocent victims across New York State."
"New York's law-enforcement community still faces a very real threat at the hands of violent criminals," said Silver.
"How can we continue to send law-enforcement officers into the path of danger armed with bullet-proof vests, while also allowing
deadly cop-killer bullets on the streets? Over one hundred and forty police and sheriff's departments from across the state support this
common-sense measure," said Silver.
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Jackie Kuhls, executive director, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, (NYAGV) said, "We are pleased with the
Assembly's comprehensive, common-sense approach to gun-violence prevention. By ensuring we use technology to target
law enforcement resources where they will be most effective, and by holding gun dealers accountable for their inventories,
we can keep illegal guns off the streets of New York."
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Patrick J. Lynch, president of the New York City Patrolmen's Benevolent Association said, "Illegal guns present the greatest risk
to the citizens of New York and to the police officers who stand between them and dangerous criminals. Too often, police officers make
the ultimate sacrifice at the point of an illegal gun. New York State has toughened its laws against illegal gun possession and sales
and now we need the federal government to do the same. Shootings are up in New York City despite the heroic efforts of New York's
police officers to get the guns off our streets. Tough federal gun laws will go a long way to solving the illegal gun problem. The time to
do it is now."
Sarah Brady, chair of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said, "The Senate should pass this package, because the
provisions in it will make it harder for criminals to get guns. Speaker Silver deserves a great deal of praise for working tirelessly on this
subject. We must get laws on the books that will prevent gun crimes. With this package, the Assembly is standing up to the gun
lobby, and Sheldon Silver is standing up for the people of New York."
Jackie Kuhls, executive director, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence said, "We are pleased with the Assembly's comprehensive,
common-sense approach to gun-violence prevention. By ensuring we use technology to target law enforcement resources where they
will be most effective, and by holding gun dealers accountable for their inventories, we can keep illegal guns off the streets of New
York."
New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn said, "Last year, over eighteen hundred people were wounded or
killed by guns in New York City. That's eighteen hundred too many. It's crucial that our city, state and federal leaders come
together to create laws that keep the streets of our neighborhoods safe. I commend Speaker Silver and the Assembly for
passing this proactive bill package, and I urge the state Senate to follow suit."
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New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn said, "Last year, over eighteen hundred people were wounded or killed by
guns in New York City. That's eighteen hundred too many. It's crucial that our city, state and federal leaders come together to create
laws that keep the streets of our neighborhoods safe. I commend Speaker Silver and the Assembly for passing this proactive bill
package, and I urge the state Senate to follow suit.
"In recent years, the New York City Council has adopted a series of legislation and resolutions that tighten the screws on people
who wish to buy and sell firearms illegally, and I look forward to working with the mayor and all those who are set on keeping these
weapons off our streets," added Quinn.
Dr. Sheldon Teperman, trauma surgeon at Jacobi Hospital and NYAGV board member noted, "I see the devastation caused by
illegal guns, on my operating table and on the faces of grieving family members. This is a public health crisis, and I applaud the
Assembly for taking steps to prevent tragedy."
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Edie Smith, president of the New York State Chapter Million Mom March, united with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun
Violence, said, "I hope the Senate will join the Assembly in passing measures to protect New Yorkers by preventing
guns from getting in the wrong hands to begin with. Punishment of offenders is important, but prevention is essential to
save lives."
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Edie Smith, president of the New York State Chapter Million Mom March, united with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence,
said, "I hope the Senate will join the Assembly in passing measures to protect New Yorkers by preventing guns from getting in
the wrong hands to begin with. Punishment of offenders is important, but prevention is essential to save lives."
Federal Action Needed
Highlighting the devastating impact of out-of-state illegal gun trafficking on New York State, Silver noted that 92 percent of the illegal
handguns recovered in New York City came from beyond the state's borders.
"We urgently need a new federal law to require police departments around the nation to submit ballistics information to the ATF's
national tracing database so that more violent crimes can be solved," Silver said. "We must also repeal a recent federal law
which prohibits information from gun tracing databases to be used to solve violent crimes."
Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) said, "I commend Speaker Silver for guiding these important bills through the
Assembly. This legislation will keep guns out of the hands of criminals, protect New York's police officers, and save innocent lives.
Dr. Sheldon Teperman, trauma surgeon at Jacobi Hospital and NYAGV board member, noted, "I see the devastation
caused by illegal guns, on my operating table and on the faces of grieving family members. This is a public health crisis,
and I applaud the Assembly for taking steps to prevent tragedy."
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"Too often New Yorkers are the victims of our insufficient federal gun laws, as was the case when we lost one of my constituents,
Dillon Stewart, a New York City police officer killed in the line of duty by an illegal gun last year. I will continue my fight for legislation
that will keep guns out of the hands of criminals and terrorists by strengthening our criminal background check system. I am hopeful
the Assembly's action will spark a grassroots movement to pass common sense gun laws in other states. The passage of this
legislation gives our fight against gun violence some much needed momentum and I am proud that New York is on the forefront of this
critical issue," continued McCarthy.
Last month the Assembly passed a legislative resolution calling on Congress to give law-enforcement officers the laws and resources
needed to pursue gun traffickers and investigate the sources of all illegal guns.
"New York's gun laws will only go so far to curb gun violence so long as the patchwork of state laws across our nation continues
to create loopholes that allow vast quantities of weapons to be purchased legally and transported elsewhere," said Silver.
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Note: Click here to view a summary of the nine-bill anti-gun violence
legislative package passed by the Assembly earlier this week.
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