[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 120 (Monday, July 25, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1168-E1169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               WOMEN LEADERS URGE ACTION ON GUN VIOLENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. KATHERINE M. CLARK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 25, 2016

  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following 
letter from prominent women leaders from around the country, which 
urges Congress to take action on gun violence by implementing universal 
background checks.

                            Women's Coalition For Common Sense

                                                    July 14, 2016.
       Members of Congress: We are a coalition of women leaders 
     from business, law enforcement, government, domestic violence 
     prevention, women's advocacy, journalism, entertainment and 
     public health. Like Americans all across our country, we are 
     outraged by the mass killing in Orlando and other recent 
     tragic events. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the 
     victims and their families. But sadly, these recent tragedies 
     are only the latest horrific events in our national gun 
     violence crisis that claimed 33,000 lives last year. This 
     crisis is destroying families and our communities.
       That's why we have come together to demand that you do more 
     to keep guns out of the wrong hands, protect the Second 
     Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans, and save lives. We 
     are not alone. Americans--Democrats, Republicans, and 
     Independents--agree that we need stronger laws to keep guns 
     out of the hands of dangerous people. It is time for 
     lawmakers like you to listen to your constituents, the very 
     people you were elected to serve.
       You can start to address our gun violence crisis by acting 
     to close the loopholes in our laws that allow domestic 
     abusers and felons to buy a gun without a criminal background 
     check. Unlike federally licensed gun dealers, unlicensed 
     sellers are not required to conduct background checks on gun 
     purchases, often with devastating consequences for women and 
     families.
       Strengthening our laws and closing these dangerous 
     loopholes would save lives. In states with background checks 
     on all handgun sales, 46% fewer women are murdered with a gun 
     by their intimate partners.
       As we continue to mourn the losses from gun violence 
     everywhere, we urge you to give voice to the concerns of your 
     constituents and honor the memory of the 33,000 Americans 
     killed by gun violence every year and enact real, meaningful, 
     and responsible solutions that can help prevent gun 
     tragedies, and make our communities safer places to live.
           Sincerely,
       The Honorable Gabrielle Giffords, Former Congresswoman 
     (2007-2012)*
       The Honorable Madeleine K. Albright, Former United States 
     Secretary of State*
       Gail Becker, President of Strategic Partnerships and Global 
     Integration and Chair of the Global Women's Network, Edelman*
       Connie Britton, Actress and Activist*
       Melanie L. Campbell, Convener, Black Women's Roundtable; 
     President and CEO, NCBCP*
       Dr. Brittney Cooper, Professor of Women's and Gender 
     Studies and Africana Studies, Rutgers University*
       Kim Gandy, President and CEO, National Network to End 
     Domestic Violence*
       Ruth Glenn, Executive Director, National Coalition Against 
     Domestic Violence*
       Chief Jane Harteau, Chief of Police, City of Minneapolis*
       The Honorable Carla Hills, Former United States Trade 
     Representative*
       Nanxi Liu, Founder and CEO, Enplug Technologies
       Dyllan McGee, Founder and Executive Producer, MAKERS*
       Barbara Bailey Parker, Mother of Alison Parker and Gun 
     Violence Prevention Advocate*
       Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, President, Association of American 
     Colleges and Universities*
       Jennifer Pinckney, Gun Violence Survivor; Wife of the Late 
     South Carolina State Senator Clementa Pinckney; Founder of 
     The Honorable Reverend Clementa Pinckney Foundation*
       Andrea Pino, Co-Founder and Director of Policy and Support, 
     End Rape on Campus*
       Katie Ray-Jones, CEO, The National Domestic Violence 
     Hotline*
       Dr. Debora Spar, President, Barnard College*
       Neera Tanden, President, Center for American Progress*
       Robyn Thomas, Executive Director, Law Center to Prevent Gun 
     Violence*
       The Honorable Ann Veneman, Former United States Secretary 
     of Agriculture*
       Shannon Watts, Founder, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in 
     America*
       The Honorable Christine Todd Whitman, Former Governor of 
     New Jersey*
       Silvestre Acedillo, Founder and Creative Director, VENUTEC
       The Honorable Lashrecse D. Aird, Delegate, Virginia House 
     of Delegates
       Leah Gunn Barrett, Executive Director, New Yorkers Against 
     Gun Violence
       Allie Bones, CEO, Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and 
     Domestic Violence (ACESDV)
       Dr. Alice Chen, Executive Director, Doctors for America
       Cameka Crawford, Chief Communications Officer, The National 
     Domestic Violence Hotline
       Andrea Cuvelier
       Donna Dees-Thomases, Founder, Million Mom March
       Marium Durrani, Public Policy Attorney, National Network to 
     End Domestic Violence (NNEDV)
       Dr. Regina Edwards, CEO, Arizona YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix
       Judy Fisher, Moms Demand Action
       Ilana Flemming, Manager of Advocacy Initiatives, Jewish 
     Women International (JWI)
       The Honorable Kate Gallego, Vice Mayor, City of Phoenix
       Janet Gilmore
       Shira Goodman, Executive Director, CeaseFire Pennsylvania
       Rachel Graber, Public Policy Manager, National Coalition 
     Against Domestic Violence (NCADV)
       Lanae Erickson Hatalsky, Vice President for Social Policy 
     and Politics, Third Way
       The Honorable Debra Heffernan, Representative, Delaware 
     House of Representatives
       Kathleen Higgins, Officer, Compliance Test Design/Analytics 
     Specialist, Bank of America
       Joani Horchler, Maryland Moms Demand Action
       Carolyn Jenkins, Organizing for Action
       Helene Keeley, Speaker Pro-Tempore, Delaware House of 
     Representatives
       Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy, USA (Ret.)
       Nancy Kennedy
       Babe King, Organizer, YELLOW TAPE PROJECT to Stop Gun 
     Violence
       Suzanne Koepplinger, Former Executive Director, Minnesota 
     Indian Women's Resource Center
       Captain Gail Kulisch, USCG (Ret.)
       Ronald Legrand, Vice President, Public Policy, National 
     Network to End Domestic Violence
       Dr. Barbara Levy, Vice President, Health Policy, The 
     American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
       Gail Levyveld
       Shelly Livingston, C Street Democrats
       The Honorable Valerie Longhurst, Representative, Delaware 
     House of Representatives
       Jennifer Lynch, Oregon Alliance for Gun Safety
       Natalie Marra
       Heather Martens, Executive Director, Protect Minnesota
       Martha Strawn Morris, Director, The Gateway Center for 
     Domestic Violence Services
       Nonna Noto, Jubilee Jobs
       Chelsea Parsons, Vice President, Guns and Crime Policy, 
     Center for American Progress
       The Honorable Karen Peterson, Senator, Delaware State 
     Senate
       Jody Rabhan, Director, Washington Office, National Council 
     of Jewish Women
       Jane Randel, Co-Founder, Karp Randel
       Beth Reilly, Faith Advocate and Organizer
       Patricia Reuss, Policy Advisor, National Organization for 
     Women
       Carol Robles-Roman, President and CEO, Legal Momentum
       The Honorable Katherine Rogers, New Hampshire House of 
     Representatives
       The Honorable Diane Rosenbaum, Senate Majority Leader, 
     Oregon State Senate
       Deborah Rosenbloom, Vice President of Programs and New 
     Initiatives, Jewish Women International (JWI)

[[Page E1169]]

       Arlene Schler
       Jessica Scoratow, Georgetown Against Gun Violence
       Rabbi Susan Shankman, Washington Hebrew Congregation
       Katie Simon, Policy Organizing Manager, Brady Campaign
       Dianne Snyder
       The Honorable Liane Sorenson, Board Chair, Delaware 
     Coalition Against Gun Violence
       Winnie Stachelberg, Executive Vice President, External 
     Affairs, Center for American Progress
       Kiersten Stewart, Policy Director, Futures Without Violence
       Susan Stoltenberg, Executive Director, YWCA of Greater 
     Portland
       Diane Tattersall, Last Chance Animal Rescue
       Sarah Trumble, Senior Policy Counsel, Third Way
       The Honorable Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Mayor, City of Eden 
     Prairie, Minnesota
       Roberta Valente, Chief Officer for Government Affairs, The 
     National Domestic Violence Hotline
       Kristin Wald, Start Out Fresh Intervention Advocates
       Lori Weinstein, CEO, Jewish Women International (JWI)
       Melissa Youssef, Legal Aid, Institute of Policy Research
       *Advisory Committee Members

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