Gottheimer leads advocates, law enforcement, lawmakers to rally for commonsense gun safety measures

NEW JERSEY — U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) Monday joined lawmakers, law enforcement, and local advocates to rally for commonsense gun safety measures, following a U.S. District Court decision to strike down New Jersey’s ban on AR-15 rifles.

Gottheimer promised to fight the Court’s decision and sent a letter to Speaker Johnson, urging him to hold a vote on commonsense, bipartisan gun safety legislation that would protect our communities and save lives.

According to Everytown, New Jersey averages 435 firearm deaths and 1,265 firearm injuries a year. Guns are tied for the second-leading cause of death among children and teens in New Jersey. In 2023, more than 40,000 people across our country died because of gun violence. So far this year, there have been more than 320 mass shootings, an average of more than one per day. The District Court’s decision to strike down the AR-15 ban increases the risk of deadly mass shootings, as the AR-15 rifle was involved in more than half of the United States’s deadliest mass shootings.

Gottheimer Urged Speaker Johnson to Bring the Following Commonsense Gun Safety Measures to the House Floor for a Vote:

• The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2023, which would ensure that background checks are conducted on nearly every gun purchase — closing loopholes that allow criminals and those with mental illnesses to illegally purchase guns.
• The Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2023, which would close the “Charleston Loophole,” which allows firearms sales to proceed after three days even if a background check has not been completed.
• The Assault Weapons Ban of 2023, which would ban the sale of certain semi-automatic weapons, including the AR-15 rifle, and high-capacity gun magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition. This law would reinstitute the life-saving assault weapons ban that originally passed in 1994.

Gottheimer, a member of the House’s Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and Co-Chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, worked across the aisle in 2018 to strengthen the federal background check system and in 2022 to craft and pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. That law, the greatest expansion of gun safety in three decades, strengthened background checks for juveniles and those with mental health conditions, gave states the resources they need to enforce red flag laws, invested in children and family mental health services, cracked down on gun trafficking, and closed the boyfriend loophole, protecting survivors of domestic violence.

“Today, in the wake of this awful decision, I’m renewing my call for Congress to advance some commonsense gun safety measures. This isn’t a time to play politics, people’s lives are literally at stake,” Gottheimer said. “Even on the darkest days, I remain optimistic, that our better angels will prevail, and we will come together, across party lines, to pass these bills and keep our children safe. We have no other choice.”

“There are common sense steps we can take to keep our families and our communities safe. We need to raise the federal minimum age to purchase a weapon. We must ensure that universal background checks are done. And, we must create a federal waiting period when purchasing a gun. There is no reason anyone should be able to buy a gun in the next 30 minutes,”said Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella. “On behalf of all Bergen County law enforcement, I am proud to stand here today with Congressman Gottheimer and so many of our zealous advocates to advocate for commonsense action that is desperately needed to stop senseless gun violence.”

“We’re grateful to our legislators in our counties and in the State Assembly and Senate who continue to fight for gun sense. And to our federal representatives, including Congressman Gottheimer, who faced the Sisyphean task of trying to convince fellow Congressmen that our kids’ lives and our community’s safety are worth overcoming partisan division,” said Moms Demand Action Volunteer Larissa Mendez Downes. “The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which the Congressman helped pass in 2022 was a crucial first step. And, we can do more.”

Additionally, Gottheimer continues to champion the bipartisan ALYSSA Act, which will require schools to install silent panic alarms in the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, and worked to pass bipartisan legislation through the House that strengthened background checks.

Gottheimer was joined by Bergen County Executive James Tedesco, Bergen County Commissioner Chairwoman Germaine Ortiz, Senator Gordon Johnson, Assemblywoman Ellen Park, Assemblywoman Shama Haider, Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, Moms Demand Action Advocate Larissa Mendez Downes, Students Demand Action Advocate Elise Tao, and March for Our Lives Advocate Elena Perez.