Leaders of 145 Companies Call on Senate to Pass Gun Control Laws



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Moms Demand Action hosted a recession rally and a community meeting in Foley Square to honor the victims of gun violence and ask our lawmakers to act and remind Congress members of the urgency to vote for gun safety this year.

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The leaders of 145 companies wrote Thursday in the Senate a letter urging the government agency to take action on firearms safety.

The letter reports recent armed violence in Chicago, Newport News, Virginia, and elsewhere, calling it a "public health crisis." But the leader also said that armed violence could be avoided and legislators could intervene to prevent tragedies.

"That is why we urge the Senate to stand up to the American public and take action on gun safety by passing a bill requiring background checks on all sales of firearms." firearms and a strong red flag law that would allow the courts to extremely protect the vital risks orders ", they wrote in the letter.

Red Flag laws, also called extreme risk laws, allow family members or law enforcement to take a court to prevent a person from temporarily obtaining a firearm.

"These proposals are common sense, bipartisan and largely supported by the American public, it is time for the Senate to act," the letter concludes.

Signatories include the CEOs of well-known companies Uber, Levi Strauss, Gap, Lyft and Beyond Meat.

Edward Stack, the CEO of Dick's Sporting Goods, also signed the letter. The retailer stopped selling firearms in 125 stores this year and sold assault-style weapons after shooting at Parkland in 2018.

Bain Capital, the private equity firm founded by Mitt Romney, had several signatories to the letter, including John Connaughton and Jonathan Lavine, co-managing partners, and Josh Bekenstein and
Steve Pagliuca, co-chairs.

Joshua Kushner of Thrive Capital, who is also the brother of the White House advisor and Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also signed the letter. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The letter comes as companies have been forced to take into account the risk that mass shootings represent for their companies. Earlier in September, Walmart had significantly reduced ammunition sales following two shootings in stores this summer. The world's largest retailer has also asked customers at Walmart and Sam's Club to no longer openly carry guns, a move that other retailers have since echoed.

Democrats have called for universal background checks. Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Senate minority, sent a letter Sunday to Trump asking him to express support for the policy.

Earlier this year, legislators in the House of Representatives passed legislation that would strengthen federal history screening laws. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he wanted clear support from Trump so that the Senate could vote on this measure.

A spokesman for Schumer said that he would address the letter Thursday to the Senate. McConnell's office officials were not immediately available for comment.

The news of the letter was first reported by The New York Times. Read the letter here.

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