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Thune Amendment Defeated

July 22, 2009 - After two and half days of serious grassroots efforts, we are pleased to report that thanks to all of your calls to your Senators urging them to oppose the Thune Amendment, we won!  You took the time, made the calls and the Thune Amendment was defeated just two votes shy of the required 60 votes needed for passage, resulting with a final vote of 58-39.  Your calls to defeat the Thune Amendment will help protect countless victims of domestic violence and other possible crime victims.

Background

Senator John Thune (R-SD) offered a dangerous amendment to the Defense spending bill that would have forced states to allow domestic violence abusers to secretly carry loaded guns where they might harm the public or their intimate partners.  

The Thune Amendment, backed by the gun lobby, would endanger victims of domestic violence, public safety and make it more difficult for law enforcement to do their jobs.  According to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the Thune Amendment would allow the carrying of loaded, concealed firearms outside a person's home state, even by persons legally barred from possessing guns in the state where the carrying occurs.  It would also reduce the gun laws in all states to the "lowest common denominator" of the states with the weakest laws on carrying concealed weapons.  For example, a person may obtain a concealed carry permit in Florida and that same person may thereafter have that permit rescinded by the Florida court as a result of committing domestic violence.  If that person goes to New York before surrendering the permit, New York will have a difficult time trying to find out if that permit is still valid or has been revoked.

Gun Facts

A gun is the most common weapon used in domestic violence cases. According to a 2003 study, access to firearms increases the risk of intimate partner homicide by more than five times.  Another study in 2003 found that women who were threatened or assaulted with a gun or other weapon were 20 times more likely than other women to be murdered.

Please visit NNEDV's Legislative Action Center to view the original Action Alert.