Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Did you know that we have a national terrorist "no-fly" list to keep dangerous people off airplanes, but the same does not apply to buying a gun? This and other loopholes exist for gun purchasers, prompting me to join nearly 300 of my colleagues nationwide in an effort called "Mayors Against Illegal Guns." Visit the MAIG coalition website at: http://mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/home/home.shtml

Ever since the expiration of the assault weapons ban, these high powered rifles have filled our streets. Earlier this year, a City of Miami police officer, James Walker, was gunned down by an AK 47. Quite simply, these weapons of war belong on the battlefield, not on our streets.

Seeing the rise in violent crimes committed with assault weapons and other illegally obtained guns, mayors from throughout the country have joined to lobby congress for these common sense solutions: (1) close the gun show loophole; (2) require gun dealers to perform criminal background checks on all gun-handling employees; (3) close the fire sale loophole that allows dealers whose licenses have been revoked to continue to sell their inventory without conducting background checks; and (4) close the Terror Gap that leaves those on the terrorist no-fly list off the list of prohibited purchasers of firearms.

Here in Florida, Mayor John Peyton of Jacksonville and I are leading the way toward raising awareness of this critical issue, keeping illegal guns from the hands of criminals, making our streets and neighborhoods safer.