WASHINGTON (JTA) – Twenty-three national Jewish organizations signed on to a letter to the U.S. Senate urging members to pass gun control legislation.
In the letter addressed to Sens. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the majority leader, and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the minority leader, the Jewish groups called on the Obama administration and Congress “to act quickly to prevent needless firearms deaths and injuries.”
They called for comprehensive action that would limit access to the most dangerous weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines, track all firearms, include waiting periods and background checks, provide better access to high-quality mental health care and examine the role of violence in the media.
“There is no single solution to our country’s grave problem with gun control,” said Rabbi Steve Gutow, president of Jewish Council for Public Affairs, which organized the letter-writing campaign. “And with 33 lives lost to gun violence every day, every proposal that can save lives must be considered and given a vote. Delay is not a tactic that will make anybody safe.”
JCPA’s members adopted a similar gun control policy during its annual conference in March.
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