Everytown Announces Ad Spend to Hold Congressman Perry Accountable for Inaction on Gun Violence One Year After H.R. 8 Passage

In the Year Since the U.S. House Passed H.R. 8––A Bipartisan Bill to Require Background Checks on All Gun Sales––an Estimated 1,500+ Pennsylvanians Have Been Killed by Guns. But Congressman Perry Voted Against This Life-Saving Legislation 

This Week, Everytown and Moms Demand Action Are Holding Congressman Perry and his Colleagues Accountable for their Failure to Support this Legislation

WASHINGTON — Today, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and its grassroots network, Moms Demand Action, announced a campaign to hold Congressman Scott Perry accountable for his vote against H.R. 8––a bipartisan and immensely popular bill to require background checks on all gun sales. The campaign is built around February 27, the one year anniversary of the day the U.S. House passed H.R. 8, and will run throughout the week. It will feature advertising calling out Congressman Perry for voting against this life-saving law.

“Congressman Perry has stood in the way of common-sense gun safety time and time again,” said Marilyn Mulvihill, a volunteer with the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action. “It’s up to us to keep fighting for all those who no longer can, after being senselessly shot and killed. We will neither forget nor forgive that Congressman Perry voted against H.R. 8 and failed to keep us safe.”

H.R. 8 is designed to close loopholes in our background check system that enable individuals like domestic abusers and convicted felons to buy guns with no background check and no questions asked. Despite more than 1,500 Pennsylvanians being killed by gun violence every year, and many more being wounded, Congressman Perry voted against this life-saving legislation. The digital ads holding him accountable will run on Facebook throughout this week. 

Sample Facebook text reads:

“Your Congressman Scott Perry had a choice to help reduce gun violence and save lives, and he chose to side with the gun lobby. Send him a message now to tell him you’re extremely disappointed in his vote.”

Background checks on all gun sales are proven to save lives and associated with decreased rates of homicide, suicide, and gun trafficking. They are also immensely popular, supported by 93% of American voters, 89% of Republicans, and 87% of gun owners. 

These print and digital ads are a part of a nationwide campaign by Everytown targeted at lawmakers in key states who have failed to support H.R. 8, including U.S. senators and representatives in AZ, GA, IA, KY, NC, PA, and TX. The campaign will also feature grassroots events in several of those states, including one on the steps of Sen. McConnell’s Kentucky office, and voter registration drives led by Students Demand Action across the country.