And so, as that is what we are going to urge you to do and with all of our energies we are going to keep on this case. We simply cannot spend years negotiating treaties, the treaty partner pokes holes in them. Allow the courts in switzerland to interpret their value away or minimize their value, to watch people we go after the provided the kind of immunity we have provided to them without insisting that we get the names from the banks we are providing amnesty to. All about the names, not about the hints. It is not about the Treasure Hunt. It is the Treasure Hunt. The treasure is the money that belongs to the u. S. Government. I use the word Treasure Hunt in two ways. One way, it is what we cant do, be diverted to a hunt with clues. In some sense it is a Treasure Hunt and if we win the treasure that is owed to uncle sam we are going to need a very Aggressive Department of justice and irs. We thank you both, thank you for your service, your work for our government. We urge you on with greater strength and we would ask you to keep informed of the ways the we requested. Thank you for this hearing, thank you for your thoughts. We share your goals and your frustration and tried to build a pretty good hand which hopefully will show, thank you. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] clean up their act in the future. We have tax evasion which has gone up. We have to go after the tax debaters. We should have swiss cooperation to do that. Will link to turn over the names except its government wont. Shame on the government that wont let the banks turnover. You are going to retire soon. Is this your legacy . No. We are going to hold another one on the other side. There will be more periods. Not necessary in this subject. There will be other hearings, tax avoidance. You think u. S. Bank regulators should revoke the charter of these banks . Independently what it would be a question for the department of justice. Not independent connection or cooperation with the department of justice. The law is pretty clear. You want to operate in the United States you have to abide by our rules. Operating in switzerland we should abide by swiss rules. What about the ubs . We got some results. Ubs model that we want the Justice Department to follow here, it is all models that involves using our tools, tools of grand juries, using salmons and subpoenas and indictments that then produces the results. Otherwise it is just negotiation year after year after year which you see finally an outcome which does not produce what you need to go after the tax evaders which is their names. In the Swiss Parliament passing a law, it says you have to prove Something Else unilaterally. You have to prove that the bank that you think has the names of the tax evaders you have to prove that they have substantial participation in some wrongdoing, no way to shows that unless you have the names of tax evaders who they are aiding and abetting. A chicken and egg problem the Swiss Parliament law has put us in. Was anything said to you that convinced you they would be more aggressive in pursuing . Tasted didnt say anything that convinces me. Have they done anything recently . This hearing may be helpful. What do you take away from the hearing . Very much worthwhile. You think theyre more aggressive . They are going to i think they will feel something for this hearing. I hope they do, they will. Not just for me but my colleagues and feelings that heat will make a more aggressive in terms of the use of our laws to go after people who violated our laws. I cant say is they said a lot which will persuade people reading it, but i think people who get the feel of this hearing somehow or other, folks like you will realize this is not something they want to go through every week. You deliver your message . Oh yes. 5 00 in the afternoon. Is president met with joe biden yesterday and discussed that and said that joe biden agrees with him that it should be treated as Something Else and they should move forward. Looks like it shouldnt be. For two reasons. You want to collect taxes the worlds tax evasion and tax avoidance are worldwide issues, they are high up on their agenda. This is an issue whether or not governments are going to have resources for the people. There is a fairness issue too. For people to be able to get away with tax evasion while other people are paying taxes is wrong and undermines confidence in the system and also you have to have accountability if you are going to have future compliance and people see year after year nothing happening. There has been letters, target letters that stemmed three years ago and nothing happened. If people start sensing that, a lot of folks out there are going to think the heat is off and i can get away with stockings my fund, not at Credit Suisse any more, they told us this morning that is not true but other banks, there are other banks in other places in switzerland, believe me that are more than happy to take the money from tax evaders and keep it hidden. This is injustice was problem. Switzerland has a lot of major banks and a lot of money from outside switzerland comes into switzerland. Credit suisse has taken the position that they wont let it happen anymore without a form being filed that will lead to taxes being paid in the country of the account holder and that is good. That is good. It wouldnt have happened without ubs. They acknowledged as much this morning. It took this kind of a hearing to get us to the next stage, to create a model, ubs model that produced 6 million basically, because of the ubs hearing. A lot of them paid for that so maybe this hearing will take us to the next step. Maybe hopefully get the department of treasury folks to use the tools at our command to go after banks, get the past tax money owing to. Other reasons i mentioned, it is owed to the treasury. Fairness, and if you are serious about the future, all of us want to talk about the future, you better have accountability. The name of the account holders. Is it sufficient the Obama Administration might be delaying or not going after the names because it could become politically problematic for the administration, wilkens represented the Bankers Association at one point, eric holder had ubs as a client. I see no evidence of that. The banks which do participate in the program should be treated fairly. I am always in favor of fairness. Trying to figure out what they dont have more will to go after you know the answer to that . Because obviously it is complex. You got to go to court and say we want to enforce this and the other people on the other side, argue why you shouldnt do it and some of the banks, not Credit Suisse, will say we cant do that because of our law and hopefully you have american attorneys will say you are operating here. In switzerland swiss law should govern. In the United States the United Statess law should govern. I shouldnt heard any reason for the lack of passion and lack of aggressiveness hear other than what we heard there. It is complex in swiss law. That is all you hear. Swiss law. That is not what i want to hear. I know about swiss law. I know too much about swiss law. I know about bank secrecy which is still on the books in switzerland. Cant turn over the name. There is an exception for these treaties. These treaties have the loopholes and you go to court to implement the treaty and each one of these treaties and agreements and programs have loopholes in them. I had a nice list of loopholes right here to give you some in case you ask them and i will do it from memory. The Settlement Program is fundamentally flawed because it doesnt get names, which supplement program . The bank Settlement Program with the 106 bank it comes forward. It is flawed and a number of ways. It doesnt give you the names of people who aided and abetted or e evaded tax law. It doesnt get you that because it doesnt go back to the time which was the most virulent time probably between 20002008 according to our records of tax evasion through these accounts and you cant get that money which is owed to uncle sam. That is the huge failure in my book. That is just one. It doesnt get to that. There is another problem, that yellow sheet. You get two of them. Theres also another one. Not just no names before 2009, not just for one of the programs, not just what the Swiss Parliament has done but also the way in which if i can remember the other loophole. In terms of this is in the program. The program, so the program, why not just direct . Why not just simply say under this program if you get immunity you are going to turn over names . Why does it have to be we are going to give you immunity and banks get 110 banks or whatever it is will be given immunity, but they dont have to turn over names, they have to turn over information which might be a sleuth like Sherlock Holmes to find out who is then they are talking about. Stop that course of action because there deploying a lot of resources into that. Clearly thinks that because they think it is the best they can get because using our tools and our toolbox, the summons and the subpoenas and indictments, those are complex. They take work too. I cant give you an explanation. They havent given us a good explanation. Since these target letters have gone out nothing has happened. 14 banks. That program is a ubs model . Dont mind paying get out of the program, they are not mutually exclusive. The next thing number 3 of ubs john mccain said under the immunity level bankers weigh in and that is the case. What do you think of that . It is the exception that proves the rule. I did not buy it all from Credit Suisse, the testimony in many cases was good testimony. The idea of the small cobol in this part of their bank. That doesnt work. That is perjury i didnt buy that. We talk about perjury, you are talking about a different area that is not our particular area of responsibility. Oversight of committee and whether or not people why under oath or dont why under oath, something we make findings about. Senator mccain said 800 million to settle the criminal case is inadequate. It is not up to me to make that judgment. The thing that strikes me, that is a pretty global figure given the number of accounts. The ceo of Credit Suisse said their conduct was agreed this. Hard to explain in a way what the concept was, i use the word agreed this, a client comes in and a customer comes into a bank, you help that plant created fictitious corp. Shell corp. A and going to be the named depositor in your own bank. It is incredible. One person did that. You know what he said . Name two people, two people have already been indicted. And he turned back to somebody back there and said there are three and he also said that the Justice Department has those names. These facilitate in the most egregious way you can tax evasion. The conduct was not limited to that one as a l area of that bank, 50 bankers. He ended up saying mainly limited or another word he used. Used an adjective, mainly or principally were mostly or Something Like that. Struck a role for that. I was surprised, the department of justice should have been able to know whether or not there was a policy that asked the Federal Reserve to remove a license or whatever the right word is for people if they are in violation of a court order. Seems to me that is pretty obvious solution which would scare the dickens out of any company that would lose their right to operate if they dont abide by a court order. I would think the folks in switzerland understand that too. Hard for me as a parliamentarian to believe if someone came here and said they are in switzerland, the law in switzerland is they have to do a, b and c and if we dont exit that approach in the United States they have no choice, they want to operate in switzerland, i would understand readily, wanting to operate in switzerland, they want to abide by their laws. I dont claim anything for the United States as i would claim also exists in every other country. People who wants to operate need to abide by their laws. I dont think any greater claim for that right here in defense of any other country deals with companies that do business in that company. It is so basic and fundamental and i think the swiss government would understand that is the way the law has to be. And you cant use the loss of one country to as an excuse violate the laws of the country in which you want to operate. That is an area which needs to be explored but should have been explored long ago by the department of justice. Thank you. On this weekends newsmakers iowa senator tom harkin talks about the debating congress over raising the minimum wage. The democratic lawmaker, the chair of the Health Education labor and tension committee and the author of a bill that would set the minimum wage at 10. 10 an hour. You can watch the interview at 10 00 a. M. And again at 6 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan. The new cspan. Org web site makes it easier than ever to keep tabs on washington d. C. And share your find on facebook, twitter and other social networks. Easy search functions let you access daily coverage of events, new tools make it simple to create short video clips and share them with your friends on facebook, twitter and other social networks or you can send links to your video clips on email, find the share tools on our video player or look for the green icon links throughout our site. Watch washington on the new cspan. Org. If you see something of interest clipped it and share it with your friends. Cspan2 providing live coverage of the u. S. Senate floor proceedings and keep Public Policy events and every weekend booktv. Now for 15 years the only Television Network devoted to nonfiction books and authors. Cspan2 created by the cabletv industry, confronted by your local cable or cat lite provider, watches in hd, like us on facebook, follow us on twitter. Yesterday the Brady Campaign to prevent gun violence recognize the 20th anniversary of the socalled brady law which created federal background checks on firearm purchases from licensed dealers with in the u. S. This event took place on capitol hill and highlighted the laws benefits and was enacted in 1994. This is 40 minutes. Good morning and welcome. I am dan gross, president of the Brady Campaign to prevent gun violence and we are pleased to be here to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the brady law and to release our new report but before we got to those things we wanted to begin by showing why we are all here. Why our mission is so vitally important and why we cannot ever give up. Good boarding. My name is kenny barnes. I lived in washington d. C. I am a victim of senseless gun violence. This is a picture of my son. He was killed sept. 242001 right here in washington d. C. He was a victim of senseless gun violence. My name is eddie weinerguard. On february 22nd, 1981, my mother was shot to death in front of me. The gun was also turned on the and unfortunately malfunctioned. I am here today with other victims and survivors of gun violence to demand that the job be finished. I am dr. Crystal kirkindoll here on behalf of my husband who was robbed and murdered on august 11th, 1972, in streets of east orange, new jersey. It still seems like yesterday. My family still misses him. On behalf of other families, lets finish the job. My name is peter reid, my daughter mary was one of 32 students and faculty shot to death on the campus of Virginia Tech on april 16th, 2007. We believe with better and fully implemented background checks these kinds of tragedies can be prevented. My name is raven burgess, a survivor of gun violence. I was shot may 29th, 2013. I am here to promote and help to ensure that this ends. Thank you. My name is alex westerly. I am here for my sister who got killed by a stalker who purchased the gun on the internet. Without any kind of background check. I am here to prevent this happening. Thanks. Good morning. My name is Sherialyn Byrdsong, i am here in honor of my husband, rikki, the northwest basketball coach. He was killed in 1999 by a man who was the convicted felon and in spite of that was able to buy a gun from an unlicensed gun dealer wihout a brady background check. Sarah brady and im here on behalf of my husband jim brady who was wounded in the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan in 1981. My name is dan gross and i am here for my brother matthew who was shot in the head atop the Empire State Building in february of 1997 and for our dear friend christopher burkemeister who was killed that day and 90 americans who are killed every day by a bullet and for every one of us who just wants to live in a safer nation. Today as i said were here to mark the 20 Year Anniversary of what could fairly be called the greatest, most significant step forward for that goal of a safer nation, but brady handgun violence prevention act which took effect 20 years ago today. To introduce this special report, to introduce this special report that we have issued, to celebrate the success of the historic legislation and to define the critical work that lies ahead, 20 years of brady background checks. We are finishing the job to keep america safe for. First i would like to thank some of our special guests here. Of course the victims and families that have joined us here today. I know i speak for all of us and so many across america when i say how much you all inspire all of us to continue our work, a lot of which is on behalf of the loved ones youve lost. Our very important partners from the Law Enforcement community, we really appreciate your strong representation here today, your voices are very important in these efforts. Our elected leaders who truly are representing the voice of the American Public on this issue in congress, nancy pelosi and representative thompson, thank you for everything you do. Some of our predecessors on the brady team who are responsible for the affect of what we are here to celebrate today. Gail hoffman is here, we thank you for everything you did 20 years ago and the time leading up to it to put us in position to celebrate the effectiveness of everything you helped us to accomplish. Our partners from other organizations that are represented here today devoted to gun violence, brady, million mom marge chapters that are our boots on the ground making the voice of the American Public heard and of course, mrs. Brady and her husband jim, certainly here with us today in spirit as you know,. Is our legacy of success that brings us here today, this very day 20 years ago the brady law took effect and has chronicled in our reported changed what was really a bye and bye system that allowed criminals and other dangerous people easy access to deadly weapons. Now thanks to the brady law, thanks to sayre ats work and the work of this organization, every federal licensed firearm dealer runs a background check before a buyer can walk away with the gun. The numbers speak for themselves, thanks to the brady law background checks of blocked 2 million gun purchases by prohibited persons such as felons and domestic abusers. In fact when you do the math brady background checks, 343 attempts by these dangerous people every day. This includes 171 attempts by felons the night every day, 48 domestic abusers denied every day, 19 fugitives denied every day, background checks work and as a result countless lives have been saved and crimes have been prevented. You only need to look at the dramatic decline in homicide since the brady law took effect. You can see in this report what the report also revealed is a lot has changed in the world in the last 20 years. New and dangerous loopholes have emerged that allow criminals and domestic abusers, the same dangerous people that would be denied a gun at a licensed Firearms Dealer because of the brady law allows them easy access to as many guns as they want without a background check, no questions asked. This includes gun shows which have become mega malls filled with unlicensed gun sellers not covered by the brady law and significantly and to many most alarmingly includes the internet which no one could have imagined when the original brady law was passed where together with gun shows thousands of guns are bought and sold every day without background checks. Today, you can find guns for sale on websites like armslist. Com where at this very moment you can go on there and there are up to 70,000 guns for sale without background checks many of which are promoted like advertising that you can buy a gun there without background checks. Even sites like facebook and instagram where millions of American Children spend hours every day have become popular places to buy and sell guns. And the toll of these loopholes is very real and very cumin and is also chronicled in our report like the story of enid daniel who was a victim of domestic violence, she obtained a restraining order from her husband which meant he couldnt buy a gun at a federally licensed Firearms Dealer so instead he went on line and purchased a 40 caliber semiautomatic handgun from and unlicensed sellers, no questions asked and he used that gun to murder her and two of her coworkers in 2012. The stories of xenotransplant along with alexs sister, you heard from alex a moment ago, they are told in this report. More than any statistic these tragedies underscore the importance of our work, why we cannot give up, why we will not give up until we finish the job and expand brady background checks to all gun sales. The tragedy and loss these families and too many others still weak and miss a nation that we all want to. Will now introduce Sherialyn Byrdsong to share rickys important story in her own words. I met ricky when we persist in years old, we were juniors in high school and i knew he was the man for me and sure enough when we both graduated from college we got married and he began a 19 year career as College Basketball coach, at Northwestern University in edison, ill. On july 2nd, 1999, the American Dream we had been living became the american nightmare. When a young man who was a member of the neonazi hate group came through our neighborhood and as my husband was outside jogging and my 8yearold son was on his bike my tentyearold daughter was on her rollerblades, office neonazi man came through and sprayed bullets at the three of them and one of them struck my husband and he did die. As the news spread about ricky being shot and calls for coming to me, people were asking, they just assumed knowing the nature of the work that my husband did, that he was on the south side of chicago. When i told them he was just a block from our home, it was like what . That is unbelievable. And it is. Now i think about all of the random acts of gun violence, that it could happen to anyone, anywhere comment at any time. At a mall, in the movies commack at school, walking in your neighborhood, your quiet neighborhood conlan, at school, walking in your neighborhood, your quiet neighborhood conlan and i am just hopeful that one day in a dangerous person can buy guns of these random acts of gun violence can be prevented. Thank you. I got the chance to know Sherialyn Byrdsong a little bit. One of the most important jobs you can have, she is a teacher, it is heard a job as well as her very important extracurricular job. And Sherialyn Byrdsong, thank you for everything you do to teach our nation not only of the tragedy of gun violence but how it is preventable by keeping guns out of dangerous hands and having the courage to share your story again and again until everyone that needs to be talked is tossed about the nature of this issue and now we can prevent it so thank you. Now it is my honor to introduce the person whose job we are really here to finish, the person who together with her husband jim, their names are on the original law that we are here to celebrate a day and somebody that i can tell you being in the halls of this organization every day serves as a constant reminder to us of what we have the potential to achieve and a constant inspiration in terms of the perseverance that it takes and what ultimately can be achieved, sarah brady. Thank you. I especially want to thank all the people who are such a great help to us in the past and over the years. A victim of over the last 25 years i have seen more victims of gun violence than i would ever want to have to count. Lawenforcement has been totally behind us, and we have to thank our leaders in congress and nancy pelosi has been there all away and we thank you for your leadership in this area. It took us seven years to get the brady bill enacted. It was hard work but it was a very uplifting thing to do. Everyday that we are working on it we knew we were going to win. It was a david and goliath type of issue. It didnt take long for the American Public and the press to realize how hard a fight it was for us but we kept it up with the help of my friend gail over there, every day as we tromped these halls of congress, meeting with the members, also working in their districts going back to our targeted members district speaking and doing Editorial Board meetings but seven years it was hard work but it was fun and we were so proud of the day when we first passed it in 1991 and had to pass it again two years later. And then it was signed by president clinton and became law, enacted 20 years ago. One thing i want to do is to encourage everybody in the future who is working on the future and it is important include all sales in background checks and you heard the reason why, seven examples. I want to encourage everybody that just because there is public outcry doesnt mean we will get a bill passed. It takes work and it takes time and it takes persistence and with that we will win again. I have no doubt whatsoever. I want to come over here, the day it passes. I promise and wont leave until then. [applause] and jim wanted me to show a big hello, sorry we couldnt be here today. It is a little hard for him to travel any more. For those who helped us, thank you so very much. For those on the brady staff, the president and everybody else, i see they have the same enthusiasm and zweibel finish the job. [applause] the success you achieved, reminders, and continuing that legacy. And our pursuit of this change. Those charged with the protection and safety in communities, no support is more important for extended background checks more meaningful than the support of the Law Enforcement community, and critical to passing the original brady law and will be critical to finish the job, we are grateful to have strong representation here from lawenforcement and i am pleased that Baltimore County police chief, the National Enforcement part should to prevent gun violence. Good morning. It is an honor to speak briefly on behalf of lawenforcement on this nation. And the part should to prevent gun violence did to the partnership, that Nine National Law Enforcement leadership organizations including the Commission Accreditation for Law Enforcement agencies and Hispanic American Police command association, the International Association campus, Law Enforcement administrators, the International Association chief of police, the major cheeks association, National Association of women, lawenforcement executives, and lawenforcement executives. And the Research Form and police foundation, when you see the influence of this Broad Spectrum of Law Enforcement leaders across america, i am proud to stand here today with sarah brady who along with her husband jim have made remarkable contribution, lawenforcement work hard with santa and jim to get the brady law enacted and unquestionably this law has had a tremendous impact on public safety. You saved my fellow Police Officers and citizens across america. I am very proud of that. Background checks block 2 million prohibited gun purchases. There is no way to quantify completely the loss that could have resulted from this. However, we heard the tremendous impact. I think it is safe to say that the 2 million guns could have resulted in 2 million catastrophes. Safe to say that. Clearly the brady law reduced access to firearms by those legally not permitted to possess them. There remain other avenues for dangerous purchasers to acquire these firearms and they have. I lost an officer four months ago due to an illegally obtained firearms. This is what lawenforcement leaders are asking you to do. 40 of firearm purchasers without a license dealer. They require no background check at all. This is tantamount to allowing 40 of passengers to board an airplane without going through security screening. Would we do that . The honor system would not work at airports and doesnt work with buying guns. We should take the obvious and reasonable step of requiring background checks for all sales. Background checks for all sales. Not just common sense. Our lives depend on us. Thank you. Thank you, chief. Our next speaker is one of the great leaders in congress on the expansion of background checks, representative Mike Thompson of the chair of the House Prevention Task force and along with representative king of new york, chief sponsor of h. R. 5965, the house version of the expanded background check that organization is working so hard, representative thompson on behalf of 1 million members and supporters and all of the victims and families you see here today and across the country we appreciate all of your leadership. Thank you very much for what you do. I love seeing you here. I wish we didnt, but you are such an important voice. Thank you for your Public Service and your courage to come out and do this. It takes a big person to be willing to stand up and speak out on this issue and nancy pelosi, thank you, she has been absolutely fantastic and you heard me say it before it it was nancy pelosi if it was the speaker of this bill would have already been signed into law and for all the families. You call yourselves survivors, victims. You are absolutely fantastic. The courage that you show is allimportant. We hear too often the numbers, 12,000 People Killed by someone with a firearm since sandy hook. We are the 30 plus people they killed by someone like a firearm. The fact of the matter is those numbers stand for the people and families you see standing before us today. And very tragic way, we need to to do something about it. Dan mentioned the bill with rep king, republican from new york. We need to pass that bill and it is pretty straight forward. Pro second amendment, doesnt take anyones guns away, just requires people who purchase the firearm through commercial sale have to have a background check to make sure they are not criminals, to make sure they are not dangerously mentally ill and how anybody can be against that is completely beyond me. Sarah said it took six years and seven votes to pass the brady bill, it had 155 coauthors. If the speaker would put our bill on the floor it would take one vote to pass it. We would have 189 coauthors and a stream of people who have already told us they would vote for this. All we need is of vote, this would get passed today. Please know that we are not interested in quitting. We are going to stick with this and i am proud to be here to join in the course to say we need to finish the job so thank you very much. Thank you, sir. Finally i am honored to introduce someone who is one of the great leaders in this nations period, nowhere is that more evident than leader pelosi and her leadership and her fight on behalf of the families and your constituents and all americans to end this senseless gun violence. Her commission is deep and genuine and truly inspiring to those of us who share your commitment to making this a safer nation. Thank you. [applause] thank you very much for your generous introduction. It is with great humility that i come here today, humility in the face of a loss you all have suffered. Sherialyn byrdsong as such generosity of spirit to share her story again and again to turn her grief in to safety for so many people so i wish the reason you were here didnt exist but you are, and thank you. To be with sat and jim brady and 90s was to learn a lot. To learn about the gospel which says when christ was out to go to heaven, but gospel said to him teach us how to pray comment and he said ask and you shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and the door will be open to you. It is that persistence, is about prayer. That was the lesson of that. That is the work of santa and jim brady. They knock on wood doors, asked more people from votes, as they sought out those votes and always with the greatest humor, good will, friendship never left their voices even though they better than anyone knew the seriousness of the task. The Brady Campaign has been a force of good in making a difference in our country. It is remarkable how many lives have been saved and who would have thought that the internet which should be our friend would have been something that would facilitate background checks, became a place where people could buy guns, we have to pass the brady background check and expand and cover gun shows and to the internet. Our friend Mike Thompson working with peter king, has a bipartisan bill to do that. And he has said if we take the bill up on the floor it will pass. The votes are there. The American People are more than their, 70 on this piece of gun violence prevention which is what this bill is. I am honored to be here with the chief. We speak baltimore, you are here. So i know when you say it takes courage the courage that it takes, Baltimore County is a place where he is a leader and a teacher on this subject. When he was recognized, violence against women and these things come together that you described so well so thank you for your courage and leadership and again, Mike Thompson, a veteran, a wounded veteran, gun owner, hunter, Charlie Mccarthy said to me i want to thank you for one thing, that is appointing Mike Thompson to head the task force. You know it because he is committed to this issue and that is the best possible complement. Everything i do believe i know we have the votes. We want to vote, we want to finish the job and when we do in the house it will pass in the senate. In the house, why should i vote for it. This is within reach. Ask, seek, persistence will pay off for us. And celebrating anniversaries and tomorrow and go on to Something Else. I asked my staff to get this over and the other day i had a visit from the boy scouts and they bring the annual report to leaders of the senate to the Speakers Office as well and had a nice visit. And the boy scout patch, never forgotten sandy hook, conn. Hack 170. And now incorporated into grading this, into his voice got life. That is wonderful but too bad it has come to is that. How can we possibly face ourselves . We take an oath at the beginning of congress, most people in any Public Service to protect and defend. We thank them for the millions and how many purchases would have broken and how many injuries but hundreds of thousands, we thank them for that and for their persistence, for never going away. This is our responsibility to our children, this is our responsibility for those imagine the courage of them coming out to tell their stories, to stir that all up. I think it is almost unimaginable as a mother and grandmother and i hope that again with all the humility in the world how can we face you until we have legislation that is law, that is policy, that improves the safety of the American People. It is with the deepest gratitude to jim and sarah brady but also to at the 11 for his leadership in turning his personal sorrow into leadership to save lives. Thank you, dan. Thank you all. [applause] thank you, nancy pelosi. Cheese johnson, all our partners from Law Enforcement and other organizations and of course families for being here and sharing your story. You are making a difference. Our team is now going to hand deliver this report to members of congress. More than 2 million purchases have been blocked by felons, domestic abusers, fugitives and other people we all agree are dangerous, 343 blocked purchases every day, all thanks to the work of jim and sarah brady and our predecessors in his organization and the leadership we got from congress from leaders like nancy pelosi. But as we heard from Sherialyn Byrdsong and other victims there is still a lot of work to be done. More than anything else we hope these stories and this report sent another powerful call to action, one that cannot be ignored. For congress to finish the job and expand brady background checks to all gun sales. States that have answered this call and expanded background checks and this is where you can start to quantify the impact we talked about, in states that have these laws, 38 fewer women are murdered by their intimate partners. 39 fewer Police Officers are murdered with handguns. Just think of the lives that could be saved if congress would step up and finish the job and follow suit. And yes, as has been mentioned change like this doesnt happen overnight. Six votes over seven years to pass the original brady flaw but make no mistake, we have momentum on our side. There were those who dont want you to think the we do but we do. Momentum, the likes of which this issue has not seen in years. Last year alone, eight states passed major gun reform including four more states that pass new laws requiring background checks, four new states that when they follow suit will see 38 fewer women killed by their intimate partners, 39 fewer Police Officers killed with handguns. Even the vote in the senate with a lot of people look at and took as the defeat, it was a heartbreaking defeat in the gallery with sarah who turned to me and she said sometimes it takes a good loss and she was right. That galvanized the attention what i am not saying is i was starting to tear up and sarah was coming in and saying in the consolation role, i thought about it and i did buck up quickly because she is right, called attention to the that is the tragedy that galvanized the American Public. That is the tragedies that finally called our attention to what is going on in congress and the support we have seen from 30,000 calls we were able to put in congress in the days following that vote, the sustained support, this is the campaign, not just newtown happened, change didnt happen after newtown and now is over, this is a campaign to finish the job and we are not going anywhere until we do finish that job. Finally to sum up, i will leave you with this. In the short time we spend here together today, brady background checks, federally licensed Firearms Dealers have blocked 14 gun sales to prohibited purchasers like convicted felons and domestic abusers. There is a good chance that lives have been saved as a result. In the same amount of time four more lives have been lost to gun violence. Four more families have been introduced to indescribable tragedy as families you see here today. It is time to finish the job and expand effect of brady background checks. We will be happy to disburse among you and answer any questions and have any conversations you might be interested in having but again, thank you all for being here today and thanks to everybody for participating. [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]. Booktv continues with david kertzer. Mr. Kertzer examines the relationship between pope
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