Amnesty International USA’s deputy director of advocacy and government relations, Adotei Akwei, said the following:
“Everyone deserves to go about their life in this country, free from fear and the constant threat of gun violence. Members of Congress need to do the job they were elected to do and be the leaders this country needs them to be by passing critically needed gun safety laws.
“By prioritizing guns over people, our leaders are trampling over human rights and ignoring this country’s cherished values of equality, dignity, and security, and for this, we are holding them accountable.”
Amnesty’s letter detailed its support for three crucial bills before Congress:
The Keep Americans Safe Act
This bill would reinstate a national ban on selling or possessing high-capacity magazines. Amnesty agrees that weapons of war do not belong in our schools, homes and communities.
The Extreme Risk Protection Act
This legislation would fund programs for flagging behavioral risks among potential gun owners. Right now, even if you recognize your neighbor, family member or spouse as dangerous, you cannot stop them from acquiring deadly tools of mass violence. It is tragic, and it is infuriating. Amnesty agrees that we must fund new programs, in accordance with due process, to protect those at risk before it’s too late.
The Disarm Hate Act
The law would restrict weapons sales to those convicted of hate crimes. Amnesty knows the horrors of hatred and bigotry in our communities, and we agree that urgent action must be taken to prevent that hatred from becoming fatal.