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LULAC Urges Senate Lawmakers To Take Bipartisan Action And Pass Gun Law Reforms

Nation's Largest and Oldest Latino Civil Rights Organization Says Limiting Access to Assault Style Weapons, and Deep Background Checks Should be Priorities Among the Mandatory Measures of America's Gun Laws

Washington, DC - The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) issued the following statement as the U.S. Senate prepares to debate on proposed new legislation calling for stricter gun laws. On Wednesday, the House passed the "Protecting Our Kids Act" by 223-204. The legislation package approved by the congressional representatives includes several separate bills. They contain proposed changes that range from the age of access to specific firearms, background qualifications buyers must first meet, limiting legal modifications to firearms, and more severe criminal penalties for violators of the new laws, once passed.

Domingo Garcia - LULAC National President
"LULAC demands that this be the moment we stop the endless debate after each mass shooting, and nothing happens. Never again should we do nothing when faced with burying innocent mass shooting victims, including children, teachers, everyday shoppers at a store, or worshippers at a church, synagogue, or mosque. Enough is enough. It's time for bipartisan action. Our position is that LULAC supports raising the legal age to buy assault weapons to 21-years-old. We support red flag background checks and stricter laws on what can and should disqualify someone from buying or having a firearm. This means unequivocally denying guns to people with a history of mental health or domestic violence. As importantly, LULAC supports allowing families to sue gun manufacturers for selling guns to unqualified buyers."

Rodolfo Rosales, Jr. - Texas LULAC State Director
"There can be no political partisanship or bickering when it comes to sensible and meaningful legislation that keeps assault-style firearms out of the hands of people who should not have them. What reason is there for an 18-year to be able to access military-style semiautomatic rifles without any credible investigation into his background? Our nation must consider limiting the availability of assault guns that have no place in everyday civilian settings in our community. Texas LULAC also calls for a limit on the purchase of high-power magazines, a 30-day wait period for anyone purchasing any type of gun, red flag laws, raising the age limit even to 25 for anyone purchasing a gun, universal background checks on all gun purchases, stricter laws dictating the sales at gun shows and that they comply with all other gun restrictions, harsh consequences for anyone trafficking in illegal guns or illegally selling guns, and a national gun registry."

Sindy Benavides - LULAC National Chief Executive Officer
"LULAC National is working closely with leaders in both the House and Senate calling for bipartisan action. Our history on this issue is long and clear. We passed a national resolution in 2013 urging legislation on gun violence prevention. Then, again in 2017, LULAC led the call for gun control at the federal, state, and local levels since violence with firearms impacts Latino communities more often, and we are paying too high a price, as we have in Uvalde and El Paso, Texas. We have been on the record demanding increased reporting of mental health and other relevant records into the NICS database, legislation to require background checks on all gun sales and ensure that all criminals and other dangerous people who are prohibited from buying a gun are listed in the National Institute Criminal Background Check System. We also need legislation to get military-style weapons and high-capacity magazines away from our community, especially our schools. We support closing caps in the gun background check database and requiring a background check for all gun sales. May this be the moment when all Americans call for real gun law reforms so that we end the senseless killings with firearms in our country."

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About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit https://lulac.org/