Lamont Calls On Trump To Pass Gun Control Laws

HARTFORD, CT – Governor Ned Lamont joined governors from eleven other states in sending a message to President Donald Trump calling for federal action on gun violence.

The governors are urging President Trump to work with Congress to pass four pieces of federal legislation.

“When it comes to the prevention of gun violence, we are only as strong as the state with the weakest laws,” Governor Lamont said in a statement. “Here in Connecticut, we’ve shown that we can pass smart, commonsense, and constitutional gun safety policies, but a large number of states continue to drag their feet on even the most basic measures that have close to near-universal support. We need Congress to take action – the overwhelming majority of Americans are demanding it.”

The text of the letter notes that recent tragic events in Gilroy, El Paso, Dayton, Philadelphia, and Odessa took at least 34 lives, wounded dozens, and caused emotional trauma to countless others. So far this year, over 10,000 people have been shot and killed, according to the letter.

"Public safety is the first and most important responsibility of government, and the failure to act to protect the public is a failure in leadership," the letter reads. "As Governors, it is our responsibility to listen to our communities’ calls for action. However, a patchwork of state laws will never be a substitute for coherent national policy."

The group of governors calls on Trump to work with Congress to pass "sensible" gun legislation that includes four policies:

· Pass Extreme Risk Protection Order legislation, commonly referred to as Red Flag laws, preventing individuals who pose a risk to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing a firearm;
· Pass universal background checks closing the private gun sales loophole;
· Outlaw assault weapons and high-capacity magazines; and
· Establish stricter reporting requirements to prevent those deemed by a mental health professional to be a danger to themselves or others from purchasing a firearm.

Other governors who signed the letter include: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Delaware Governor John Carney, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, and Washington Governor Jay Inslee.