BP MARKOWITZ APPLAUDS NY SAFE ACT, BANNING ASSAULT WEAPONS AND PLACING STRICTER LIMITATIONS ON GUNS

“Bravo to the State Legislature and Governor Cuomo for acting so quickly in this new session to protect the lives of each and every New Yorker by banning assault weapons and expanding the existing ban on large ammunition clips in the state—strengthening laws that were already the toughest in the nation. With more than 500 people wounded by firearms in Brooklyn in 2012 and two police officers already shot in Brooklyn in 2013, it has never been clearer that our nation is faced with an ongoing crisis of gun violence. The Second Amendment does not guarantee access to weapons of mass devastation, nor does it provide anyone the right to wage war on the safety of our children, our first responders or any innocent citizen. The only way for our country to reaffirm its commitment to the ‘right to bear arms’ is to follow New York State’s example, and for Congress to ban the use of assault weapons, to ensure more comprehensive background checks on gun buyers and to enact legislation guaranteeing that the federal government—and no one else—regulates the sale of ammunition. It is time to end America’s love affair with guns and instead aim for a safer, more peaceful future.”