Sister Of Newtown Victim, Families Of Gun Violence Victims, State Representative, And Faith Leaders To Gather In Helena To Urge Senator Baucus To Support Common-Sense Background Checks

***MEDIA AND EVENT ADVISORY***

Baucus Voted Against Bipartisan Background Checks Bill That Would Keep Guns Out of Wrong Hands, Even Though 79 Percent of Montanans Support Background Checks for All Gun Sales

July 23^rd Rally is Part of "No More Names: National Drive to Reduce Gun Violence" Bus Tour; www.NoMoreNames.org

HELENA, Mont., July 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, July 23rd, the sister of a Newtown victim, families of gun violence victims, gun owners, elected officials, faith leaders, retired law enforcement, and advocates will hold a rally in Helena, Montana as part of the "No More Names: National Drive to Reduce Gun Violence" – a 25-state national bus tour over a period of 100 days aimed at urging America's leaders to support common-sense gun policies. Participants will come together Monday to voice their continued support for comprehensive and enforceable background checks, and they will urge Senator Max Baucus to reconsider his position on this life-saving measure and take another look at bipartisan background checks legislation.

Also, on Thursday, July 25th, the No More Names tour will hold another rally in Missoula at 12:30 p.m. at the University of Montana – Library Mall.

It remains far too easy for criminals, domestic abusers, the seriously mentally ill, and other dangerous individuals – people who know they can't pass a background check – to skirt the law and obtain guns by purchasing them online or at gun shows, where background checks are not required under federal law. Bipartisan legislation sponsored by NRA A-rated Senators Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey would have closed this dangerous loophole by extending background checks to commercial gun sales. But Senator Baucus voted to block this sensible legislation, despite the fact that 79 percent of Montanans support background checks for all gun sales.  

Every day, 33 Americans are murdered with guns in this country. "No More Names: National Drive to Reduce Gun Violence" is part of Mayors Against Illegal Guns' ongoing, national effort to continue raising awareness to the issue of gun violence in America – and most importantly, to urge elected officials to prioritize the safety of the people they represent.

What:  
Rally to support common-sense gun laws and urge Senator Max Baucus to take another look at life-saving background checks that help keep guns out of the wrong hands

Who:   
- Carlee Soto, sister Victoria was killed in the Newtown shooting
- Vern and Leona Tolstedt, 31-year-old son was killed with a gun
- State Representative Amanda Curtis
- Marian Bradley, President of the Montana National Organization for Women
- Deputy Chief Scott Swanson (ret.), Santa Rosa, Calif., Police Department (Montana resident)
- Father Tom Dooling
- Local Advocates

Where:
Montana State Capitol (North Capitol Grounds)
1301 E. 6^th Avenue
Helena, Montana 59601

When:
Tuesday, July 23^rd at 11 a.m. MT: Press Conference

About Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Since its creation in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 members to more than 950 mayors from across the country. We have more than 1.5 million grassroots supporters, making us the largest gun violence prevention advocacy organization in the country.  The bipartisan coalition, co-chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, has united the nation's mayors around these common goals: protecting communities by holding gun offenders accountable; demanding access to crime gun trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat gun trafficking; and working with legislators to fix weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other dangerous people to get guns. Learn more at www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org

CONTACTS
Alex Katz: akatz@maig.org or 617-721-3779
Lizzie Ulmer: lulmer@maig.org or 269-271-2331
Kayla Keller: kayla@fitzgibbonmedia.com or 281-682-6212

SOURCE Mayors Against Illegal Guns