Gun control advocates mark 6 months since shooting

June 10, 2013 @ 6:37 am


FILE - In this April 30, 2013, file photo Nicole Hockley, and other parents of victims of the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting talk to media at the New Jersey Statehouse in Trenton, where they joined gun control advocates to ask the state and Gov. Chris Christie to support the Assembly-approved measure to limit ammunition magazines to 10 bullets. Six months after a gunman took their children's lives, some family members are headed back to Capitol Hill this week to remind lawmakers they are painfully waiting for action. In the front row from left, are Nelba Marquez-Greene, Hockley, Neil Heslin, Mark Barden and Nicole Barden (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) | Zoom

WASHINGTON (AP) - Six months after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, some of the victims' families are heading to Capitol Hill to remind lawmakers they are painfully waiting for action, while some of the president's allies are asking him to do more without any new prospects of legislation to toughen gun laws.

The lobbying visit Tuesday and Wednesday is one of several observances gun control proponents are planning for the half-year anniversary of the Dec. 14 massacre of 20 first graders and six staff in Newtown, Conn. The Sandy Hook families and other activists are keeping pressure on lawmakers to expand background purchases for firearm sales, despite Senate rejection of the measure in April and no indication votes have shifted.

Nicole Hockley, who lost 6-year-old Dylan at Sandy Hook, said their family's pain has only gotten worse as time goes by without the younger of their two sons at home. She says the fight for new laws, which they've also taken to several states, has left them emotionally exhausted, but they won't give up "no matter how long it takes."

"It is very disappointing that six months have passed, and although we are making progress in individual states, we aren't making progress on the federal level when it comes to background checks when an overwhelming number of Americans support it," she said in a telephone interview.

Gun control advocates also are anticipating further action from President Barack Obama, who said he would do everything he could to stem gun violence even without Congress.

The Center for American Progress, a Washington think tank with close ties to the White House, is asking Obama to issue a dozen more executive actions they say are within his power to reduce gun crimes. The group has been pushing those measures in meetings with the White House, where point man Vice President Joe Biden declared in an email to supporters Friday, "This fight is far from over."

Obama issued 23 executive actions in the aftermath of Sandy Hook and hasn't ruled out doing more. His aides say he isn't planning to announce any new initiatives or hold a gun-related event this week but will likely acknowledge the anniversary.

Arkadi Gerney, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, said their recommendations build on Obama's earlier actions with more specific measures to vigorously prosecute gun crimes. The center's suggestions include a system to alert local police when felons attempt to buy guns, allowing firearms dealers to run the same background checks on their own employees as they do for customers, penalizing states that don't provide mental health data to the background check system and confiscating firearms from domestic abusers.

Gerney said one recommendation grew out of the Boston bombing case, after the suspects reportedly scratched off the serial number on a handgun used in a firefight with police to prevent tracking. He says Obama's Justice Department could require manufacturers to place a second serial number inside the barrel or another hidden location.

"What you want is a whole series of laws that makes it harder for dangerous people to get guns and holds them accountable when they do get guns," Gerney said. "Most are about enforcing the laws that already are on the books and that's something the NRA and the gun lobby has said it supports."

But the National Rifle Association, which has successfully helped block any new guns laws, says it sees no further need for executive action. "The problem we have is lack of enforcement and lack of prosecution," said NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam.

Mark Glaze, director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, said there's plenty more that the president can do to stem gun violence. But he argued the most meaningful difference has to come from Congress passing a law to make the background checks that are currently required for sales in stores to apply to online and gun show purchases.

Glaze said his group is trying to pressure senators who voted against background-check legislation in April with television ads and a summer bus tour kicking off in Newtown on Friday, the six-month anniversary date, that is scheduled to travel to 25 states. Also, several groups are holding an event in front of the Capitol Thursday.

Democratic Senate aides said it was unlikely Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., would force a new vote on the background-check legislation unless he had the 60 votes needed to win or, at the very least, had more votes than previously.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Friday that he hopes another vote will come yet this year and that the families' presence will help move it up on the agenda. Asked if he and other proponents have started collecting the additional votes they need, Blumenthal said, "I can't point to a senator who has reversed positions. But certainly my conversations indicate that they're thinking long and hard."

One aide suggested that senators would be likely to announce their decisions to switch together rather than doing it one at a time.

Like their previous visits this spring, the Newtown families' lobbying trip is being organized by non-profit Sandy Hook Promise and is aimed at meeting with lawmakers who have yet to commit to supporting background checks. But this time they are trying to open a conversation on potential mental health legislation and also will meet with members of the House who have yet to vote on a gun bill.

"It might not be right now, but it will happen eventually," Hockley said. "It's not a matter of if, it's a question of when. We know Americans support this."

Other Sandy Hook parents who lost their children and plan to go on this week's lobbying trip are Mark Barden, father of Daniel; Nelba Marquez Greene and Jimmy Greene, parents of Ana; Neil Heslin, father of Jesse; Francine and David Wheeler, parents of Ben. They will be joined by relatives of two staffers who were killed _ Bill Sherlach, whose wife, Mary, was the school psychologist; and Terri and Matthew Rousseau, mother and brother of substitute teacher Lauren Rousseau.

___

Follow Nedra Pickler on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nedrapicklerand Alan Fram at https://twitter.com/asfram


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
More National News
Top Stories

  • Soda Pop Stop
    The mayors of Seattle, New York and about a dozen other cities want to ban this

  • High Altitude Upgrade
    The state's highest outhouse atop Mount Rainier is getting a badly needed upgrade

  • A Skeptic's Doubts
    An ESPN columnist doubts Russell Wilson will ever be elite
MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (37)


  • Add A Comment

  • longwayhome wrote...
    How many $
    January 13, 2013 8:31 pm
    Does the N.R.A. give to the republican party? It must be a bundle. What a way to run a political party, at the cost of many young lives, the republicans are catering to the N.R.A. as if they were the blank check that keeps them afloat at the expense of American lives. Who in the heck needs and assault rifle? Oh, I forgot, Obama is going to BAN all gun sales. limbaugh said it, it's got to be true. limpdick wouldn't lie to us, would he?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bigdogina4x4 wrote...
    Who the heck needs an assault rifle?
    January 24, 2013 12:16 pm
    I can't figure out why you lefty jack-knobs can't figure this out. Why is it a matter of what someone needs? In a free country, you are free to own things, even if they are not needed. People are allowed to own cars with exceptional horse power, but can we define a NEED for that? The things that happened in Newtown, or anywhere else, don't have anything to do with magazine size or "assault weapons" as you define them.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chrisfrommv wrote...
    Think about why the NRA is has lobbying power!
    March 28, 2013 9:49 pm
    If the American people did not support, become members, and rally behind the NRA the politicians wouldn't fear them as much. When you realize the it's a right and not the need you will realize asking "who needs one?" invalidates anything you say. Keep in mind as well Obamas voting history, including voting for an all out gun ban in Chicago that was shot down by the Supreme Court in McDonald v. City of Chicago. He even attempted to pressure the courts to dessent. Why then should we trust that he wouldn't try to do it nation wide? (yes, I understand that it would be extremely unlikely to happen in any circumstance)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Transformed the country?
    January 13, 2013 9:27 pm
    Maybe in this simple fact that more and more people understand that more and more "Gun control laws" like this regime is wanting to force upon us Americans will not work. It isn't designed to work ever! It is simply designed to keep Useful idiots, like you people, dependent upon this regime and it's Dear Leader to save all you fools from yourselves.

    Look at it this way Parrots, as your beloved Dear Leader attempts to take more of our rights away from us Americans, another Obama supporter has awaken and will vote for the Conservative in 14 and a American Conservative POTUS in 16!

    It will happen Parrots. You mindless automatons just sit back and watch!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Nobody does anything you tell them to ch.
    January 14, 2013 11:58 am
    All you are is a blithering Left wing useful idiot. An Automaton.

    Yes! Your beloved regime will collapse in upon itself and more and more former Left wing Parrots will wake up and see what is happening within the bowels of your regime.

    Of course in your case ch you will go down with the SS Obama just like the Titanic.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Liberals know that the Dear Leader is UN accountable.
    January 14, 2013 1:32 pm
    And will not have to worry about re immaculation again.

    Unfortunately for the remaining Liberals out there who hope to be re elected they have to worry about the Dear Leader throwing them under the bus and us Americans who I guarantee you will have had enough of this regime in 14 and then again in 16. The Obama regime will, is, imploding upon itself.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    you will never see a republican circus clown ever sitting in the White House again!!
    January 14, 2013 1:45 pm
    Circus Clowns? Naw ch that is your Dear Leader Obama. We will see a Conservative American POTUS in 16. Your Dear Leader and your beloved regime is imploding.

    If this country is still around in 2016, you will see Liberals ran out of our nation by us Americans!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    It will be fun to see Lord Ha ha! .........
    January 18, 2013 3:32 pm
    When Hillary becomes president and Romney loses for a 3rd time, kinda like Dino Rossi....;)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HLC wrote...
    Your right ch. Obozo wants our guns.
    January 24, 2013 12:18 pm
    Thats why he's getting the UN involved. There isn't a hole deep enough for the fool to hide in if he trys to take our guns. He would be like Saddam, found sitting in a hole. I hope your the one guarding him.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bigdogina4x4 wrote...
    It's hard to believe
    January 24, 2013 12:23 pm
    I'll tell you now, I'm a conservative gun lovin' guy - I never vote Demacrat. Obama is the worst president that I have ever witnessed in my lifetime. His presidency teeters on criminal. He is the worst thing for America, four years ago and now also. I can't believe the destruction he has brought..............
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday that he's more concerned about limiting the number of rounds in a gun magazine than about banning assault weapons that account for a small percentage of gun deaths
    January 24, 2013 1:31 pm
    So now these Gun hating Anti American morons admit that this will do NOTHING to accomplish what they claim they want! This is all BOGUS. We all know it!

    Like I have said all along, this is nothing more than a political maneuver by the left to get rid of guns and abolish the Second Amendment by chipping away at it. Liberals have wanted this for decades and they feel the Dear Leader has the momentum to do this!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chrisfrommv wrote...
    Please stop Feeding CH
    January 24, 2013 7:51 pm
    CH is full of blind rhetoric and rarely if every uses any sustainance to form an argument. It is almost always pure rehetoric/propaganda as with a few others I constantly see on here. I love reading many of these posts and see that there are a lot of passionate people on here who can make a valid argument using facts. Do not fall into the trap of arguing from emotion and name calling, it's not becoming of who we are as americans and Patriots. I can't stand CH's dribble but I will not lay down my gun, and I will use my guns to defend the constition and his right to spew his rhetoric.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    The Dear Leader is rapidly becoming
    February 4, 2013 2:28 pm
    a Lame Duck Obama King!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }