Bill Theobald

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — The group created by former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords to push for tighter control on the sale of guns is merging with a group focused on the legal issues surrounding gun control.

The merger, announced Wednesday, brings together the notoriety of Giffords’ Americans for Responsible Solutions in Washington with the legal acumen of the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence in San Francisco.

For now, the two groups will retain separate names and separate offices.

“We are thrilled to be joining forces with our longtime partners at the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence,” Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, said in a statement. “By coming together we can do more to take on the gun lobby, deliver even more victories for common sense, and save lives."

Giffords and Kelly, a Navy combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut, created Americans for Responsible Solutions in 2013 — two years after Giffords was shot in the head and critically injured during an event with her constituents in Tucson. Eighteen other people were shot, including six who died. Jared Lee Loughner of Tucson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.

Giffords resigned her House seat and devotes much of her time to advocating for tougher federal and state gun laws.

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The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence was founded in the wake of a July 1993 shooting spree at a San Francisco law firm that left eight dead. It is a resource for legal expertise and information on state and federal firearms laws.

“By teaming with Americans for Responsible Solutions, our legal experts will have a much larger platform to help bring key policies like universal background checks to more states,” said Robyn Thomas, executive director of the center.

While still unable to get any changes in the law through Congress, the two groups have had success working together at the state level, where Thomas said 125 new laws have passed in 41 states since Americans for Responsible Solutions was founded.

The Law Center will now operate as part of the Americans for Responsible Solutions Foundation. No change in leadership or staffing is planned at either group.

Americans for Responsible Solutions Foundation took in $159,900 in 2014, according to its most recent tax return filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Americans for Responsible Solutions Political Action Committee raised about $3 million in the final six months of 2015, according to its filing with the Federal Election Commission. There was about $4.2 million in its campaign account at the start of 2016.

The Law Center took in about $1.4 million in 2014, according to its most recent tax return.

While combining the two groups creates a more formidable advocate for gun control, it still is dwarfed by the primary proponent of gun rights, the National Rifle Association.

The NRA’s Political Victory Fund raised $572,406 in January, according to an FEC report, and had $11.3 million in its account to start February. In addition, the NRA Foundation had $41.3 million in revenue in 2013, according to its most recent tax filing, and total assets of $115.2 million.