John–

Together, we've come so far to change the culture of gun safety in this country. I am so proud of what we were able to accomplish in 2023.

Across the country, we proved once again that gun safety is a winning issue at the ballot box. In Virginia—the NRA's own backyard—Gun Sense Candidates and Moms Demand Action volunteers won key victories up and down the ballot, flipping the House of Delegates and ensuring a gun sense majority in the Virginia legislature.

Our volunteers made election history. This year alone, 162 Moms Demand Action volunteers ran for office in 28 states, with 96 winning their elections. Their victories are a testament to the organizing power of our movement, and we're eager to support them in the next step of their advocacy.

We saw record-breaking wins for gun safety at the state level. State legislatures passed 130 gun safety policies, blocked 95 percent of the gun lobby's agenda, and allocated nearly $700 million to gun violence prevention efforts. This is proof that our research-backed advocacy is making a difference.

We advocated for stronger background checks. Together, we submitted hundreds of thousands of comments to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to support a proposed rule to finally close dangerous loopholes by expanding background checks at gun shows and online retailers. And thanks to the efforts of our volunteers and supporters like you, we are closer than ever to making that a reality.

We made inroads at the highest levels of government. The Biden-Harris Administration unveiled the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, a new centralized office to tackle the national gun violence crisis. Former Everytown senior director of federal government affairs, Rob Wilcox—who helped pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act—was tapped to co-lead this office.

It's also important to remember that we've mourned tragedies and faced setbacks this year. But I am more hopeful than ever because those moments remind us how critical this work really is—and they mobilize our ever-growing movement to call for change.

In 2024, we're poised to build on our wins. We're gearing up to elect Gun Sense Candidates up and down the ballot. We're forging new partnerships with survivors and local leaders who are committed to making their communities safer. And we're holding the gun industry accountable in the court of law—and the court of public opinion.

Together, we've accomplished so much this year—and we've got important work ahead. With you by our side, next year we will break new ground in the fight to end gun violence.

Thank you for staying in the fight,

John Feinblatt
He/Him/His
President
Everytown for Gun Safety