Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who is trying once again this Congress to get her assault weapons ban renewed, said in a tweet this afternoon that more than 10,000 calls were made to senators’ offices yesterday by Faiths Calling to Prevent Gun Violence.
The coalition said Friday that “millions” were set to participate in the effort to call on Congress for stricter gun-control laws.
Participants included the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Council of Churches representing 37 Christian denominations, the Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist Jewish movements, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, PICO National Network, the Islamic Society of North America, Bishop T.D. Jakes, senior pastor of The Potter’s House, and many others. The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism led the effort.
“On this issue of dire importance to the safety of all of our children and communities, the broadest array yet of faithful Americans is joining together in one chorus to call on Congress to pass sensible solutions to the epidemic of gun violence that has long plagued our country,” said Rachel Laser, deputy director of the Religious Action Center.
Callers were asked to promote universal background checks for all gun purchases, bans of semi-automatic assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, making gun trafficking a federal crime, and improving access to mental health services.
Leaders in the coalition made an appeal to President Obama and Congress on the one-month anniversary of the Newtown shooting to “endorse reasonable steps taken to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people through measures such as ensuring and enforcing universal background checks for gun purchases, collection and publication of relevant data on gun violence, and other constructive measures that will limit gun violence.”
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