Connolly Urges $200 Million Gun Buyback Program
Forty House members sign letter backing proposed program added to any end-of-the-year fiscal cliff deal.
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A letter co-written by Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-11th), and signed by 40 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, urges Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi to support an immediate $200 million gun buyback program in any end-of-the-year fiscal cliff deal.
Connolly, whose district includes the national headquarters for the NRA, and U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch of Florida authored the letter to the House leaders.
“Gun buybacks have proven successful in communities across the nation,” Connolly and Deutch said in a “Dear Colleague” to House members. “Adding $200 million to the final compromise on the fiscal cliff could remove as many as one million guns from our streets.”
Including the gun buyback program as a way to reduce gun violence, the congressmen said including it in any year-end deal “is a simple, immediate step we can take to assure the public we are committed to taking meaningful action.”
Connolly and Deutch said federal financial support to help local communities and states conduct buyback programs could also bolster local economic activity. “Distributing funding to the states to run buyback programs using prepaid debit cards with a three-month expiration date could provide a jolt to local economies that have stagnated in the wake of the recession and concerns over the fiscal cliff.”
“The murder of 20 youngsters and six educators in their classrooms has galvanized the public’s desire for immediate action, and partnering with the states on a nationwide gun buyback program is a modest, common-sense start,” the two congressmen said.
It's not certain if there's enough support on Capitol Hill for any new gun laws. Although President Obama called for Congress to show “courage” to consider new gun-control laws, he faces challenges with "members of his own party who have a history of cowering from the gun debate," the National Journal points out.
Nein Juan Juan
10:54 am on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Gun buyback programs are feel good measures that do nothing to curb gun violence. They typically get a lot of old junk guns that often don't even fire. Does anyone really believe that a would-be criminal or deranged person is going to sell their guns? This is a waste of money. There is absolutely no corelation between communities that have "buyback" programs and lower gun violence. It is actually the opposite.
We are in a fiscal crisis and the democrats want to throw more money down the drain. Shame on you Mr. Connolly for using a tragedy to score political points when you know your measure will do no good.
Wien
12:45 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Agreed, the book Freakonomics wrote quite a bit on the lack of efficacy of gun control laws and buybacks, it's a PR measure at best. The book also delved a great deal into places like Switzerland where everyone has an assault rifle (citizen army/people militia rather than a military), and also places with more extreme gun control measures.
Joe Brenchick
2:05 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
This is just another example of how politicians will talk fiscal responsibility one moment and then try to justify frivolous spending the next. All for yet another chest thumping feel good program that doesn’t do anything to deter or prevent crime. But of course, we’re supposed to judge such things by their intent, not their outcome.
Bill
5:29 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
What a joke. I am sure all the mentally ill gun owners and criminals will rush forward to turn in their guns.
Dave Webster
5:43 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Gun buyback programs have most certainly not been "proven successful in communities across the nation," if by "proven successful," Mr. Connolly means a reduction in gun-related crime. With regard to a jolt to the economy, will taking money from Citizen A under Congress' taxing power to give it to Citizen B in order to destroy some property held by Citizen B actually be an overall benefit to the economy? It doesn't seem likely. Connolly claims this program will alleviate some concerns over the fiscal cliff. He doesn't explain how throwing a wrench into the fiscal cliff negotiations at the last minute will alleviate concerns of Americans over the uncertainties regarding whether a deal can be reached.
Dave Webster
6:12 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
By the way, unless my math is wrong, only 38 representatives signed the addendum to this letter, not 40. To the right of Maxine Water's signature is her District number, CA 35 and to the right of Nita Lowey's signature is the number 17 which I believe will be her New York Congressional District starting in 2013 when redistricting takes place (but don't quote me on that.) At any rate, just because 40 blanks had something written in them doesn't mean 40 people signed the document. So the letter was signed by the two co-authors and 38 representatives.