Posted on 02/21/2013 11:38:14 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
MONTEREY PARK - Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Cerritos, joined with other political and law enforcement leaders Thursday to announce she has introduced legislation into Congress to fund gun buyback programs.
The Firearm Safety and Buyback Grant of 2013, also known as H.R. 793, would establish a grant program through the Department of Justice to be distributed to local law enforcement agencies for gun buyback programs, as well as anti-violence and gun safety campaigns, the congresswoman said.
She was joined at a press conference by Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, Montebello Police Chief Kevin McClure, Rep. Janice Hahn, D-San Pedro, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Commerce and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.
The funds for the proposed grant program would come from a 10 percent tax on new sales of "concealable" firearms, such as handguns, which are most commonly involved in gun violence, Sanchez said.
"My heart breaks when I see story after story of gun violence," Sanchez said.
While highly publicized incidents such as the recent school Massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, has brought national attention to the issue of gun violence, she said, "In Los Angeles County, we already know the deep wounds created by gun violence. We know it all to well."
Sanchez said that while no one law will be a panacea to address all the nation's problems with gun violence, H.R. 793 is an important step in the right direction.
"Getting guns off the streets does make communities safer," Sanchez said.
"We can't stand here and say because we don't have the perfect solution, we shouldn't try," she said.
Through the gun buyback grants, as well as the anti-violence and gun safety campaigns that would be created by the proposed legislation, the law would give local law enforcement officials additional tools to employ in their mission to protect public safety.
Sanchez added that the buyback programs are designed to give people a financial incentive to responsibly get rid of unwanted guns before they fall into the wrong hands. In buybacks, those who turn in guns are given gift cards for retailers ranging in value from $50 to $300, depending on the type of weapon surrendered.
Officials pointed recent at gun buybacks in Los Angeles County as signs that gun buybacks are useful and necessary.
Los Angeles police collected more than 2,000 firearms during a buyback event at two locations in December. Officials in Compton last month collected nearly 400 weapons at a buyback.
Sheriff Baca said the legislation would increase public safety, encourage responsible gun ownership and amounted to "common sense."
"This is a prevention program," the sheriff said.
"We're not talking about infringing on the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution," Baca said. "We believe we're not asking too much."
Over the past six years, 276 law enforcement officers have been assaulted with firearms in Los Angeles County, Baca said.
"This is unacceptable," he said. "We believe the public deserves better. We believe our risk should be reduced."
Chief McClure said he, too, was strongly in favor of the proposal.
"It's common sense, it's sensible, it's responsible. It will reduce the violence. This provides financial resources to small agencies, like myself," he said. "I encourage everyone to support this legislation.
On a clear day, UCLA.
Sinister.
So you buy a gun get taxed and then turn the gun in for the tax money you paid brilliant. Democrats gotta love em.
IIRC, Baca means “fool” in Japanese.
I didn’t know she could read or write.
This evil witch wants to use our own money to buy our weapons “back” from us? Not going to happen. (1) I am buying everything I can possibly use, need, or want now, before another insane law or tax is passed, and (2) there is no situation in which I would sell my property “back” to someone who wanted me disarmed.
No se puede, Linda.
My SUV came limping home with a punctured tire last week. When I questioned it, it said it swerved to miss an AR, and ran over a Glock hiding in a pothole. It's a wonder that the pain of the blowout didn't cause it to hit an innocent pedestrian or something. What is the world coming to when you can't even send your SUV to the store, and have it come home safe?
Maybe if the Public Works Departments would just sweep or shovel them up once in a while, I wouldn't have so many vet auto shop bilss.
Yeah, right. Libtards just love to take what doesn’t work and double down on it.
I’ll sell her my gun. $8,000,000 cash, small bills.
simple solution;
All Laws limiting, restricting, or infringing on ANY Unalienable Right, enumerated in the United States Constitution, Shall apply to All Persons. There shall be NO EXCEPTIONS.
You are correct. I should have said:
"Taxing the exercise of a right in order to fund measures that further infringe on that right."
Buybacks are designed as propaganda displays to paint the private ownership of guns as a negative and to promote the idea that they only belong in the hands of government.
Inculcating this idea into the minds of the voters allows other anti-gun initiatives to be implemented more easily.
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