When I started writing this email, John, I had to look up the updated number of mass shootings that have occurred this year since the last time I checked only a few days ago. Because every day, that number is changing. It’s hard to keep up, and that in and of itself is a terribly sad fact.

As of today, we’ve faced 306 mass shootings in the past 249 days. That’s an average of more than 1 mass shooting per day.

This is the new normal, but it wasn’t always like this. In fact, when the federal assault weapons ban was in place from 1994 to 2004, mass shootings dropped. Since that ban was allowed to expire in 2004 with pressure from the NRA, mass shootings have increased 347%.

The numbers speak for themselves: the assault weapons ban worked, and it’s time to bring it back.

Add your name to our petition to put grassroots pressure on Congress: bring back the assault weapons ban NOW.

With a Democratic majority in the House, we’ve finally seen commonsense gun reform -- like universal background checks and bans on high-capacity magazines -- passed, only to be stalled in the Senate by Mitch McConnell and the GOP. Democratic leaders need to keep putting pressure on the Senate by passing more bills that will save lives, and the assault weapons ban should be next.

A vast majority of Americans are sick and tired of witnessing tragic violence and mass shootings on a daily basis, with zero new laws being passed to do something -- anything -- about it.

Let’s make it clear that Democrats ARE taking action, and put more pressure on Senate Republicans to stop sitting on their asses and pass gun reform now.

Support a new assault weapons ban to get these weapons of war off our streets and save lives: add your name >>

We can, and must, demand action on this national epidemic. Every day our leaders fail to act, more innocent lives are lost.

Thanks,

-Charles

Charles Chamberlain, Chair
Democracy for America