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Everytown, Moms Demand Action Launch DC Taxi Cab Ads Urging Congress to Remove the Silencers Provision From the Share Act, as NRA-Backed Congressmen Renew Push to Put it on House Floor

10.13.2017

Video Ads Will Run in DC Taxi Cabs for Next Two Weeks

New Politico/Morning Consult Poll Finds Voters Overwhelming Oppose Gutting Silencer Safety Laws by a 41% Margin — 65% to 24%

WASHINGTON – Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund today is launching video ads in DC taxi cabs urging members of Congress to remove the dangerous silencers provision from the NRA-backed SHARE Act, which would roll back longstanding silencer safety laws and make it easy for people with dangerous histories to buy silencers without a background check.

The ad released today will run in 2,500 DC taxi cabs for the next two weeks.

WATCH THE AD HERE.

Hearings on the SHARE Act were originally scheduled for mid-June, on the same day of the congressional baseball shooting in Alexandria. Following the shooting, the House cancelled all business for the day, including the hearing on the SHARE Act. An expected vote on the SHARE Act was again postponed following the recent mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Even after last week’s mass shooting in Las Vegas, House Republican lawmakers and leadership aides confirmed to McClatchy that they still hope to hold a floor vote on the SHARE Act without removing the language to roll back silencer safety laws in order “to score a win for one of the largest financial backers, the National Rifle Association.” The silencer industry trade group, the American Suppressor Association, has taken credit for writing the legislation, which it says could grow silencer industry profits “by 10 times.” House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) has refused to say when he will schedule a vote on the SHARE Act.

STATEMENT FROM JOHN FEINBLATT, PRESIDENT OF EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY:

“When people hear the sound of a gunshot, they know to run, hide, protect themselves or notify law enforcement – that’s why silencer-equipped firearms in the wrong hands put people’s safety at risk. Congress must listen to the American people, and reject the gun lobby’s agenda to gut silencer safety laws, or any other legislation that puts gun industry profits ahead of public safety.”

The SHARE Act includes the so-called “Hearing Protection Act,” which would gut long-standing safety laws that keep silencers out of the wrong hands. Specifically, it would remove silencers from the National Firearms Act, making it easy for convicted felons, domestic abusers and people with dangerous mental illnesses to buy silencers without passing a background check – simply by finding an unlicensed seller. That’s why many of the nation’s top law enforcement organizations are against the gun lobby’s efforts to gut silencer safety laws.