Mayor Samuel L. JonesMobile, AlAbAMA
Mayor Patrick HaysNorth little rock, ArkANsAs
Mayor Todd CampbellburbANk, cAliforNiA
Mayor Daniel E. FurtadocAMpbell, cAliforNiA
Mayor Cheryl CoxchulA VistA, cAliforNiA
Mayor Kris WangcupertiNo, cAliforNiA
Mayor Robert WassermanfreMoNt, cAliforNiA
Mayor Gary PlassheAldsburg, cAliforNiA
Mayor Beth KromirViNe, cAliforNiA
Mayor H. Manuel OrtizirwiNdAle, cAliforNiA
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosalos ANgeles, cAliforNiA
Mayor Ron DellumsoAklANd, cAliforNiA
Mayor Pamela TorliattpetAluMA, cAliforNiA
Mayor Jennifer HostermanpleAsANtoN, cAliforNiA
Mayor Gayle McLaughlinrichMoNd, cAliforNiA
Mayor Heather FargosAcrAMeNto, cAliforNiA
Mayor Patrick J. MorrissAN berNArdiNo, cAliforNiA
Mayor Jerry SanderssAN diego, cAliforNiA
Mayor Gavin NewsomsAN frANcisco, cAliforNiA
Mayor Chuck ReedsAN Jose, cAliforNiA
Mayor Miguel PulidosANtA ANA, cAliforNiA
Mayor Marty BlumsANtA bArbArA, cAliforNiA
Mayor Joseph D. Serrano, Sr.sANtA fe spriNgs, cAliforNiA
Mayor Bob BlanchardsANtA rosA, cAliforNiA
Mayor Paul MillersiMi VAlley, cAliforNiA
Mayor Edward ChavezstocktoN, cAliforNiA
Mayor Otto O. LeesuNNyVAle, cAliforNiA
Mayor Christopher Cabaldonwest sAcrAMeNto, cAliforNiA
Mayor Morris VanceVistA, cAliforNiA
Mayor John HickenlooperdeNVer, colorAdo
Mayor John Fabrizibridgeport, coNNecticut
Mayor Eddie PerezhArtford, coNNecticut
Mayor John DeStefanoNew hAVeN, coNNecticut
Mayor Richard A. MocciaNorwAlk, coNNecticut
Mayor Dannel P. MalloystAMford, coNNecticut
Mayor Scott Slifkawest hArtford, coNNecticut
Mayor Adrian FentywAshiNgtoN, dc
Mayor Vance A. Funk, IIINewArk, delAwAre
Mayor James M. BakerwilMiNgtoN, delAwAre
Mayor Scott J. BrookcorAl spriNgs, floridA
Mayor Joy CooperhAllANdAle beAch, floridA
Mayor Julio RobainahiAleAh, floridA
Mayor Mara Giuliantihollywood, floridA
Mayor Manuel DiazMiAMi, floridA
Mayor Kevin BurnsNorth MiAMi, floridA
Mayor Frank C. OrtispeMbroke piNes, floridA
Mayor Patricia Christensenport st lucie, floridA
Mayor John Marks, IIItAllAhAssee, floridA
Mayor Beth TalabiscotAMArAc, floridA
Mayor Heidi DavisonAtheNs-clArke couNty, georgiA
Mayor Shirley FranklinAtlANtA, georgiA
Mayor Jack EllisMAcoN, georgiA
Mayor Jere Woodroswell, georgiA
Mayor Otis JohnsonsAVANNAh, georgiA
Mayor Mufi HannemannhoNolulu, hAwAii
Mayor Richard DaleychicAgo, illiNois
Mayor Lorraine MortoneVANstoN, illiNois
Mayor Rita MullinspAlAtiNe, illiNois
Mayor John A. SpringQuiNcy, illiNois
Mayor Lawrence J. Morrisseyrockford, illiNois
Mayor Richard H. HydewAukegAN, illiNois
Mayor James BrainardcArMel, iNdiANA
Mayor Graham Richardfort wAyNe, iNdiANA
Mayor Stephen Lueckesouth beNd, iNdiANA
Mayor Kay HallorancedAr rApids, iowA
Mayor Edwin WinborndAVeNport, iowA
Mayor T.M. Franklin Cowniedes MoiNes, iowA
Mayor Elaine WalkerbowliNg greeN, keNtucky
Mayor Butch CallerycoViNgtoN, keNtucky
Mayor Jerry AbramsonlouisVille, keNtucky
Mayor Thomas L. GuidugliNewport, keNtucky
Mayor Melvin “Kip” HoldenbAtoN rouge, louisiANA
Mayor Ray NaginNew orleANs, louisiANA
Mayor Cedric B. GlovershreVeport, louisiANA
Mayor Nicholas Mavodones, Jr.portlANd, MAiNe
Mayor Ellen MoyerANNApolis, MArylANd
Mayor Sheila DixonbAltiMore, MArylANd
Mayor Thomas MeninobostoN, MAssAchusetts
Mayor James E. HarringtonbrocktoN, MAssAchusetts
Mayor Kenneth E. ReevescAMbridge, MAssAchusetts
Mayor Jim FiorentinihAVerhill, MAssAchusetts
Mayor Michael J. Sullivanholyoke, MAssAchusetts
Mayor Clare HigginsNorthAMptoN, MAssAchusetts
Mayor Joseph A. CurtatonesoMerVille, MAssAchusetts
Mayor Charles V. RyanspriNgfield, MAssAchusetts
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrickdetroit, MichigAN
Mayor Steve LampibrooklyN pArk, MiNNesotA
Mayor Gary F. Van EyllchAskA, MiNNesotA
Mayor Herb W. Bergsonduluth, MiNNesotA
Mayor R.T. RybakMiNNeApolis, MiNNesotA
Mayor Rob MartyMouNds View, MiNNesotA
Mayor Chris ColemansAiNt pAul, MiNNesotA
Mayor Mark SchiffmanwAcoNiA, MiNNesotA
Mayor Andrew G. HumpreywAyzAtA, MiNNesotA
Mayor Johnny DuPreehAttiesburg, Mississippi
Mayor Frank MeltonJAcksoN, Mississippi
Mayor Phillip WestNAtchez, Mississippi
Mayor Matthew J. AvarapAscAgoulA, Mississippi
Mayor Francis Slayst. louis, Missouri
Mayor Ron TussingbilliNgs, MoNtANA
Mayor Colleen SengliNcolN, NebrAskA
Mayor Mike FaheyoMAhA, NebrAskA
Mayor Kevin G. SandersAsbury pArk, New Jersey
Mayor Joseph V. Doria, Jr.bAyoNNe, New Jersey
Mayor Jason J. Varanoberkeley towNship, New Jersey
Mayor Gwendolyn A. FaisoncAMdeN, New Jersey
Mayor Sophie Heymannborough of closter, New Jersey
Mayor Carol FostercorbiN city, New Jersey
Mayor James CarrolldeMArest, New Jersey
Mayor Chester RilanddowNe towNship, New Jersey
Mayor Joseph R. SmitheAst NewArk, New Jersey
Mayor Robert L. BowsereAst orANge, New Jersey
Mayor J. Christian BollwageelizAbeth, New Jersey
Mayor David Delle DonnagutteNberg, New Jersey
Mayor Beth Ann HavenhAddoN heights, New Jersey
Mayor Glen D. GilmorehAMiltoN, New Jersey
Mayor James C. DiNardohAzlet towNship, New Jersey
Mayor Meryl FrankhighlANd pArk, New Jersey
Mayor Wayne SmithirViNgtoN, New Jersey
Mayor Jerramiah HealyJersey city, New Jersey
Mayor Gregg DavidkeNilworth, New Jersey
Mayor Brian A. ReidlAcey towNship, New Jersey
Mayor Frank W. MinorlogAN towNship, New Jersey
Mayor Mary C. GarvinloNgport, New Jersey
Mayor Walt Craiglower towNship, New Jersey
Mayor Michael FressolaMANchester towNship, New Jersey
Mayor Frank M. NorthMerchANtVille, New Jersey
Mayor James A. Gallosborough of Milford, New Jersey
Mayor Donald CresitelloMorristowN, New Jersey
Mayor David ScapicchioMouNt oliVe, New Jersey
Mayor James Manning, Jr.NeptuNe towNship, New Jersey
Mayor Cory BookerNewArk, New Jersey
Mayor Peter C. MassaNorth ArliNgtoN, New Jersey
Mayor Randy GeorgeNorth hAledoN, New Jersey
Mayor Janice G. AllenNorth plAiNfield, New Jersey
Mayor Harry MooreoldMANs towNship, New Jersey
Mayor Michael LutherpArsippANy-troy hills, New Jersey
Mayor Samuel RiverapAssAic, New Jersey
Mayor Jose TorrespAtersoN, New Jersey
Mayor Harry L. Wyantphillipsburg, New Jersey
Mayor Gary Gibersonport republic, New Jersey
Mayor Mohamed Khairullahprospect pArk, New Jersey
Mayor Pasquale Mennaborough of red bANk, New Jersey
Mayor Earl GagesAleM, New Jersey
Mayor Emilia Sicilianoshrewsbury, New Jersey
Mayor Barry H. Zagnitborough of spotswood, New Jersey
Mayor Douglas PalmertreNtoN, New Jersey
Mayor Betty SimmonsVictory gArdeNs, New Jersey
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsuehwest wiNdsor, New Jersey
Mayor John E. McCormacwoodbridge, New Jersey
Mayor David CosssANtA fe, New Mexico
Mayor Gerald JenningsAlbANy, New york
Mayor Byron BrownbuffAlo, New york
Mayor Ernest D. DavisMt. VerNoN, New york
Mayor Noam BramsonNew rochelle, New york
Mayor Michael BloombergNew york, New york
Mayor Robert Duffyrochester, New york
Mayor Matthew J. DriscollsyrAcuse, New york
Mayor Philip AmiconeyoNkers, New york
Mayor Terry BellamyAsheVille, North cAroliNA
Mayor Kevin FoychApel hill, North cAroliNA
Mayor Bill BelldurhAM, North cAroliNA
Mayor Keith A. HollidaygreeNsboro, North cAroliNA
Mayor Charles MeekerrAleigh, North cAroliNA
Mayor Dennis WalakerfArgo, North dAkotA
Mayor Dan PillowAddystoN, ohio
Mayor Donald PlusquellicAkroN, ohio
Mayor Joseph HarperArliNgtoN heights, ohio
Mayor Mark MalloryciNciNNAti, ohio
Mayor Frank JacksoncleVelANd, ohio
Mayor Danny StacycleVes, ohio
Mayor Michael ColemancoluMbus, ohio
Mayor Rhine McLindAytoN, ohio
Mayor Theodore ShannonfAirfAx, ohio
Mayor Jim Lawlerforest pArk, ohio
Mayor Joseph C. HubbardgleNdAle, ohio
Mayor Alan Zaffirogolf MANor, ohio
Mayor Daniel GieringerhArrisoN, ohio
Mayor Deborah SeayliNcolN heights, ohio
Mayor Jim BrownlocklANd, ohio
Mayor Lydia J. ReidMANsfield, ohio
Mayor Michael O. CiaravinoMAple heights, ohio
Mayor Thomas E. O’GradyNorth olMsted, ohio
Mayor Judith RawsonshAker heights, ohio
Mayor John SmithsilVertoN, ohio
Mayor Marcia L. FudgewArreNsVille heights, ohio
Mayor Barry PorterwyoMiNg, ohio
Mayor Jay WilliamsyouNgstowN, ohio
Mayor Kathy TaylortulsA, oklAhoMA
Mayor Rob DrakebeAVertoN, oregoN
Mayor Ed PawlowskiAlleNtowN, peNNsylVANiA
Mayor John B. CallahanbethleheM, peNNsylVANiA
Mayor Helen ThomasdArby, peNNsylVANiA
Mayor Joseph Sinnotterie, peNNsylVANiA
Mayor J. Richard GraylANcAster, peNNsylVANiA
Mayor John StreetphilAdelphiA, peNNsylVANiA
Mayor Luke Ravenstahlpittsburgh, peNNsylVANiA
Mayor Tom McMahonreAdiNg, peNNsylVANiA
Mayor F. Raymond Shayupper dArby, peNNsylVANiA
Mayor John S. Brenneryork, peNNsylVANiA
Mayor David CicillineproVideNce, rhode islANd
Mayor Joseph RileychArlestoN, south cAroliNA
Mayor Dave Munsonsioux fAlls, south dAkotA
Mayor A C Whartonshelby couNty, teNNessee
Mayor Bill HaslamkNoxVille, teNNessee
Mayor Will WynnAustiN, texAs
Mayor Laura MillerdAllAs, texAs
Mayor Bill WhitehoustoN, texAs
Mayor Richard Wardhurst, texAs
Mayor Rocky AndersonsAlt lAke city, utAh
Mayor Bob KissburliNgtoN, VerMoNt
Mayor William B. EuilleAlexANdriA, VirgiNiA
Mayor Paul D. FraimNorfolk, VirgiNiA
Mayor Annie M. Mickenspetersburg, VirgiNiA
Mayor James W. Holley IIIportsMouth, VirgiNiA
Mayor L. Douglas WilderrichMoNd, VirgiNiA
Mayor Peter B. LewisAuburN, wAshiNgtoN
Mayor Greg NickelsseAttle, wAshiNgtoN
Mayor Bill BaarsmatAcoMA, wAshiNgtoN
Mayor John M. AntaramiankeNoshA, wiscoNsiN
Mayor Dave CieslewiczMAdisoN, wiscoNsiN
Mayor Tom BarrettMilwAukee, wiscoNsiN
Mayor Gary BeckerrAciNe, wiscoNsiN
Mayor Larry NelsonwAukeshA, wiscoNsiN
Mayor Theresa M. EstnesswAuwAtosA, wiscoNsiN
For the last few years, Congress has been undermining police work by quietly refusing to allow police and prosecutors access to crucial crime-fighting information. We urge you to put an end to this stealth attack on law enforcement, known as the Tiahrt Amendment.
As Mayors, our highest responsibility is protecting public safety, and that begins with giving our police officers the tools they need to do their jobs. And they need those tools now more than ever: violent crime is on the rise across the nation, and in both big cities and small towns, police officers face the increasingly dangerous problem of criminals with easy access to illegal guns.
To crack down on illegal gun trafficking rings and keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals, police officers need information called “trace data.” When a gun is recovered at a crime scene, police can trace its serial number to learn who bought and sold that one gun. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has aggregate trace data for all guns recovered at crime scenes – yet for the last few years, Congress has prevented police and prosecutors from seeing it.
This means that police can’t find out which dealers most frequently sell guns used in crimes (a sign the dealer is breaking federal law), or which people most frequently buy guns used in crimes (a sign the buyer is illegally trafficking guns and selling to criminals). It forces police to investigate gun crime one shooting at a time instead of attacking it at its source.
Why is Congress blocking police officers from this data? Allegedly, to protect the anonymity of undercover officers, but there is not a single instance to support this claim, as even the ATF has admitted. The real reason, of course, is special interest politics. As Congressman Tiahrt himself told the Washington Post in 2003: “I wanted to make sure I was fulfilling the needs of my friends who are firearms dealers.”
Access to trace data has nothing to do with the Second Amendment, the rights of hunters and sportsmen or the rights of gun dealers – the vast majority of whom run honest businesses and obey the law. It is about law enforcement, plain and simple.
A nationwide, bi-partisan coalition of mayors is strongly opposing re-authorization of the Tiahrt Amendment, and we are being joined by 10 national police organizations – including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, and Major Cities Chiefs Association – and 23 state and regional police organizations, including the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police and the Texas Association of Chiefs of Police, as well as the American Hunters and Shooters Association.
America can’t afford a Congress that is soft on crime. This new Congress has a chance to stand up – and stand with us – in the fight for public safety by ending the Tiahrt Amendment. Will you?
Sincerely, Mayors Against Illegal Guns
An Open Letter from 225 Mayors to Congress About Illegal Guns
Get the facts: www.ProtectPolice.org • www.MayorsAgainstIllegalGuns.org
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid, and Minority Leaders McConnell and Boehner:
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