I am writing with good news and a heartwarming story as we enjoy the last few weeks of our summer vacations and begin preparing for our annual November meeting.

Although there are sometimes federal funding incentives and disincentives to states as they debate statewide legislation on injury-related issues, even with compelling data, most of the final decisions have been left to states or local governments. A change in this approach was posed a few weeks ago through an amendment attached to the defense authorization bill that would have required states, cities and counties to relinquish their control over screening criteria for persons legally allowed to carry concealed, loaded weapons within their borders.  While this amendment had its pros and cons, from an injury prevention perspective, the cons weighed heavily.

The amendment would have had the effect of rescinding currently recognized state/local government rights to decide this for themselves. Had it passed and become law, the amendment would have required states to recognize the concealed, loaded gun permits of other states even though screening criteria varies significantly across states — as does the relative proportion of their unintentional and intentional injury and firearm associated deaths. A report reached me in late July that a senate poll had showed the bill to have a 56 vote majority and that it was expected to pass before the end of the month. 

Our N.Y. State U.S. Senator, Charles Schumer, stepped up to the plate on the issue. Initially, he openly and very publicly promised a filibuster during the time of the scheduled vote. The publicity catalyzed many responses including that of mayors and governors who are among those credited. We appealed to and (express our thanks to) our ICEHS injury prevention colleagues, including Dr. David Hemenway, author of "While We Were Sleeping" and "Private Guns, Public Health," who provided materials and information to support Senator Schumer’s effort.

On the eve of the vote, Senator Schumer asked for permission to address the Senate on the issue that was not scheduled for debate until the following day. He delivered a very compelling argument in opposition to the amendment during which he promised to speak only for his five minutes the next day. In his prepared address, he urged his colleagues to give careful consideration to the amendment and its consequences. He noted that states had crafted their own concealed carry laws that [usually] made sense for their state, but that what is good for the safety of us living in large U.S. cities is not the same thing as that for rural Idaho or rural Tennessee. He noted the lineup of people who, under the amendment, could legally carry concealed loaded weapons in the 48 states included: hate groups; persons previously repeatedly convicted of illegal carrying of a handgun; violent gang members; persons convicted of violent misdemeanors; sex offenders including those convicted of committing offenses against minors; alcoholics; and dangerously mentally ill who had voluntarily committed themselves. Read his full address on his Web site: http://schumer.senate.gov/. 

In a follow-up letter from Senator Schumer, he wrote  “Keeping our neighborhoods safe is my primary job as a senator. Vigorously enforcing gun control legislation is an essential component of any strategy to keep our neighborhoods safe and is an important priority of mine as a senator.”  He also noted that he is “working hard to ensure that the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Improvement Amendments Act receives full funding this fiscal year… NICS is the only national database that flags individuals who are precluded under current law from purchasing or possessing firearms. Since NICS is only as good as the information it contains, this important law authorizes funds for states to compile all available background data, including mental health and conviction records, into a the shared electronic NICS database. Ensuring that this information is comprehensive and up to date will better prevent criminals from illegally purchasing and possessing firearms.”

I ask each of you who feel your state is a safer place because your local mayor or governor stood up to drop them a note of thanks. Our requests on the injury prevention front have been frequent. This is a success that deserves thanks for a job well done. In particular, we owe Senator Schumer, who introduced the original Brady bill and co-wrote the Assault Weapons Ban in 1994, a great deal for his extraordinary past efforts, his current effort to fund the NICS and for his future promise to remain vigilant on this issue. I have used this Chair’s letter to thank all of you who contributed time, intellect and energy to make our communities safer.

With many thanks and best wishes to our injury and violence prevention colleagues,

Best wishes,

Joyce Pressley, PhD, MPH

Chair, ICEHS