Newtown Action Alliance Applauds Historic House Judiciary Committee Passage of Legislation to Ban Assault Weapons and Repeal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act

For Immediate Release

July 21, 2022

Press Contact:

John Kelley

917-679-6475

jkelley@newtownaction.org

Newtown Action Alliance Applauds Historic House Judiciary Committee Passage of 

Legislation to Ban Assault Weapons and Repeal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act 

Newtown, CT- Po Murray, Chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance, and Sandy and Lonnie Phillips from Survivors Empowered released the following statement following the House Judiciary Committee passage of legislation to ban assault weapons and Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act to repeal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) on July 20, 2022.

Po Murray, Chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance:

“Last night, 25 House Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee passed HR1808, Representative David Cicilline’s bill to ban assault weapons. They stood with all families who have been directly and indirectly impacted by killings with assault weapons and all Americans who are living in fear of getting shot by mass shooters with weapons of war. Sadly and predictably, 18 House Republicans stood with the mass shooters and the gun lobby and voted against this lifesaving bill. It was the first House Judiciary Committee vote on the assault weapons ban bill since President George W. Bush and other Republicans allowed the 1994 ban to expire in 2004. 

“We urge the House Leadership to immediately move the bill to the floor for a full House vote before the August Recess and send it over to the Senate for a vote. Americans deserve to know which members of Congress will or will not act to protect our children and families from mass shootings. 

“Newtown Action Alliance is an organization that has unapologetically pushed for the assault weapons ban since 26 children and educators were murdered in Sandy Hook Elementary School by a gunman with an AR15 and high capacity magazines in less than five minutes in 2012. Over the years, we met more and more families who were devastated by assault weapons and we went door to door with these families to convince Democratic and Republican Members of Congress to ban weapons of war for civilian use. Semiautomatic military style assault weapons have been weapons of choice for mass shooters since the ban expired in 2004, andtoo many families and communities have been terrorized. 

“Since the Sandy Hook shooting, there have been 4,000 mass shooting incidents and over 350,000 Americans were killed by guns. After a decade of mass shootings, it’s time for Congress to take every action necessary to stop the mass murders in our communities.”

Sandy and Lonnie Phillips, Founders of Survivors Empowered:

“Ten years ago yesterday, our daughter Jessica and 11 others were killed and 58 others were wounded by a gunman with an AR15 and high capacity magazines in the Aurora Movie Theater in Colorado. 

“The day was unbearable but the House Judiciary Committee passed H.R.2814, Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act, to repeal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) to give families impacted by gun violence their days in court. 

“After Jessica was killed, we filed a lawsuit against Lucky Gunner, the online company that sold 4000 rounds of ammunition - including 100-round ammunition magazines - to the gunman who murdered our daughter. We did not seek any money in our case. We wanted the gun dealer to change their business practices and perform complete background checks on their online customers and act reasonably when they sold dangerous materiel, like 100-round ammunition magazines, ammunition, body armor, and tear gas.

“In a single motion, the judge dismissed our case due to PLCAA and a Colorado immunity law. The judge ordered that we pay $203,000 for Lucky Gunner’s legal fees. We were forced to file for bankruptcy and we have been struggling to recover financially and emotionally. 

“We encourage Congress to stand with the survivors and swiftly pass this bill. Removing the special gun industry legal shield will make the industry more accountable and more responsible and help to significantly reduce gun deaths and injuries in our nation.”

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Newtown Action Alliance (www.newtownaction.org) is a Newtown-based, national grassroots organization formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Our mission is to achieve the steady and continuous reduction of gun violence through legislative and cultural changes.