For Immediate Release

April 7, 2020

Press Contact:

John Kelley

917-679-6475

jkelley@newtownaction.org

An Open Letter to President Donald Trump

68 Organizations Urge the President to Remove Firearms from the

Critical Coronavirus Pandemic Infrastructure Workforce List

Dear President Donald Trump:

On Saturday, March 28, 2020, your administration added firearms to the federal list of “Critical Coronavirus Pandemic Infrastructure Workforce” in your updated guidance. The Department of Homeland Security included “workers supporting the operation of firearm or ammunition product manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors, and shooting ranges” on the same list as doctors, nurses, law enforcement, first responders, public safety and public agency workers.

Your updated guidance will influence the state and local officials to keep their gun stores open during a period when extreme social distancing across the nation is required to mitigate the rapid spread of COVID-19. Keeping gun stores open will contribute to increased COVID-19 deaths and make our communities less safe.

During a time of national crisis, we need you and your administration to work to reduce panic-buying of guns rather than doing favors for the corporate gun lobby groups that are using COVID-19 fears to spur gun sales. For decades, the gun lobby has spread the myth that more guns are needed to keep Americans safe, when in reality nearly 400 million civilian-owned guns in America have not stopped 40,000 annual gun deaths and thousands of gun injuries. Multiple studies have concluded that where there are more guns, there are more gun deaths and more guns do not stop more crimes.

We implore you to immediately remove firearms from your list. In March, nearly two million guns were sold, making it the second busiest month for gun sales in America. The surge in panic sales of guns will continue to overwhelm the National Instant Criminal Background System (NICS). Firearms will end up in the wrong hands due to the “default proceed” provision in the current federal law which allows FFLs to sell guns to individuals without completed background checks after three days.

In addition, the gun surge will result in increased unintentional shootings, homicides, and suicides during and after this pandemic.

In the United States,

More guns in our homes during a time when millions of school children are home due to stay-at-home orders will result in more unintentional gun deaths and injuries. 4.6 million children live in homes with unlocked and loaded guns and an average of eight children are killed by unintentional shootings every day. Firearm injury is the second leading cause of death for American children and young adults.

To save lives, please remove firearms from your “Critical Coronavirus Pandemic Infrastructure Workforce” list NOW to stop the coronavirus gun surge. Gun stores are not essential to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Sincerely,

African American Ministers in Action

Alliance for Gun Responsibility

Alliance of Baptists

American Federation of Teachers

Amnesty International USA

Arizonans for Gun Safety

Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America (BPFNA-Bautistas por la Paz)

Ceasefire Oregon

CeaseFirePA

Chester Community Coalition

Coalition for Peace Action/Ceasefire NJ

CT Against Gun Violence

DC Area Interfaith Gun Violence Prevention Network

Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence

Disciples Home Missions, Ministry Across Generations Team, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

DIsciples Justice Action Network (DJAN)

Doctors for America

Episcopal Peace Fellowship

Equality California

Fellowship of Reconciliation

Franciscan Action Network

Gays Against Guns (GAG)

Global Exchange

Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart

Guns Down America

Gun Sense New York

GunSense Vermont

Hevrat Shalom

InterReligious Task Force on Central America and Colombia

Journey4ward

Jr Newtown Action Alliance

MA Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence

Maine Gun Safety Coalition

March For Our Lives

Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office

Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

National Council of Jewish Women

National Education Association

National Equality Action Team

National United Methodist Church

New York Gun Sense

New Yorkers Against Gun Violence

Newtown Action Alliance

#NoRA

Orange Ribbons for Gun Safety

Peaceful Communities

Purpose Over Pain

Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence

Silver State Equality-Nevada

Sisters of Bon Secours, USA

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas--Justice Team

Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, LA Province

Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Capitol Hill DC

St. Sabina Church

States United to Prevent Gun Violence

Stop Handgun Violence

Survivors Empowered

Survivors Lead

Temple Sinai (DC) Gun Violence Prevention Group

Terrell Bosley Anti-Violence Association

The BRAVE Youth Leaders of St, Sabina

The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus

Union for Reform Judaism

Vision Quilt

WAVE Educational Fund

WNDC, Woman's National Democratic Club

Women's March

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Newtown Action Alliance (http://alliance.newtownaction.org/) is a Newtown-based, national grassroots organization formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Our mission is to achieve the steady and continuous reduction of gun violence through legislative and cultural changes.