Friend,

In the summer of 2022, a gunman armed with a semiautomatic rifle fired 70 rounds of ammunition into a crowd of people in Highland Park, IL, killing 7 and injuring 48 others. This heinous tragedy was made worse because of the rifle that was used: A weapon of war, designed to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. 

Just six months later, the governor of Illinois signed the state's assault weapons ban into law making millions of people safer and showing the nation what it means to take decisive action in the face of unimaginable tragedy. 

Unfortunately, this life-saving victory in Illinois could not prevent the next tragedies, perpetrated with an assault weapon, that would befall other states across the country that year. In 2023 alone, gunmen used assault weapons to kill people in Nashville, TN; Louisville, KY; Allen, TX; Jacksonville, FL; and in Lewiston, ME. All tragedies that could have been prevented if these deadly weapons were not accessible. 

That's why Brady keeps fighting tirelessly to ban weapons of war in whatever way we can – and that means working on the state level and in courts to pass, and protect, lifesaving legislation. Banning assault weapons in Illinois was monumental progress, friend, but our fight cannot end there. If we are going to save lives in 2024, we need lawmakers to stand up to the gun lobby and take action. Congress has the power to stop this cycle of death and violence if they pass a new Assault Weapons Ban. We need 10,000 activists to respond before midni‌ght toni‌ght to show Congress that Americans are ready for change. Will you respond to our live poll right now?

I am so thankful to the brave lawmakers in Illinois who stood up to the gun lobby and took action in the face of tragedy in their state. I hope that Congress can find the same courage. 

Kris Brown
President, Brady