Americans for Responsible Solutions and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence to Join Forces
March 16, 2016 – Americans for Responsible Solutions (ARS)—the national gun violence prevention organization founded in 2013 by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Navy combat veteran Captain Mark Kelly—and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence —the nation’s leading resource on firearms law and policy—announced today they are joining forces.
By uniting ARS’s legislative, communications, and advocacy expertise with the Law Center’s policy and legal expertise, the merger creates a powerful new force for gun safety legislation, research, education, communications, and advocacy under the leadership of Congresswoman Giffords and Captain Kelly, the leading voices in the movement to keep guns out of the wrong hands and save lives from gun violence.
The merger builds on collaboration between the two organizations that has won legislative victories in several states in 2015 and 2016; delivered defining new executive actions from President Obama to narrow loopholes and improve background checks; and has produced comprehensive resources for legislators and advocates, including a series of Commonsense Solutions Toolkits on topics like strengthening the background check system, keeping guns away from domestic abusers, and preventing unintentional shootings with smart policies that reduce children’s access to unsecured firearms.
The Law Center will now operate as part of Americans for Responsible Solutions Foundation, the 501(c)(3) arm of Americans for Responsible Solutions.
“We founded Americans for Responsible Solutions because we wanted to bring together uncommon voices to create some commonsense changes that make our communities safer. Since then, nearly one million Americans have joined us in the fight for responsible steps that keep guns out of the wrong hands,” said Congresswoman Giffords and Captain Kelly. “We are thrilled to be joining forces with our longtime partners at the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. By coming together, we can do more to take on the gun lobby, deliver even more victories for common sense, and save lives.”
“For 23 years, the Law Center’s attorneys have crafted lifesaving gun safety legislation, defended smart gun laws in the courts, and educated the public on the commonsense solutions to America’s gun violence epidemic,” said Robyn Thomas, Executive Director of the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. “By teaming up with Americans for Responsible Solutions, our legal experts will now have a much larger platform to help bring key policies like universal background checks to more states. Since ARS’s founding in 2013, our movement has experienced unprecedented momentum, with 125 new smart gun laws passed in 41 states. America is taking action to stand up to the gun lobby and save lives from gun violence, in large part due to the commitment of Gabby, Mark, and the rest of the ARS team, and we couldn’t be more excited to join forces with them.”
“This merger unites the nation’s top gun safety messengers and advocates for commonsense changes to our laws with the people who have the deepest expertise on our nation’s gun laws and gun policy,” said Peter Ambler, 501(c)(4) Director of Americans for Responsible Solutions. “It’s a formidable combination that will lead the way on gun violence prevention for years to come.”
About Americans for Responsible Solutions
Founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Navy combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly, Americans for Responsible Solutions (ARS) is committed to advancing commonsense change that makes communities safer from gun violence and encouraging elected officials to advance responsible firearms policies. Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC is committed to helping elect candidates from both parties who support commonsense laws that make communities safer from gun violence. Learn more at responsiblesolutions.org and at @Resp_Solutions.
About the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence
Founded in the wake of the July 1, 1993, assault weapon massacre at 101 California Street in San Francisco that left eight dead and six wounded, the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence is now the premier resource for legal expertise and information regarding state and federal firearms laws. Made up of the foremost gun law attorneys in the nation, the Law Center tracks and analyzes firearms legislation in all 50 states, files amicus briefs in critical Second Amendment cases across the country, and works with lawmakers and advocates to craft and promote legislation that will reduce gun violence and save lives. We regularly partner with other nonprofit organizations dedicated to combating the epidemic of gun violence in our country, and we invite you to explore our website, smartgunlaws.org, and to follow us on Twitter at @smartgunlaws to learn more about our work and deepen your knowledge about gun laws in America.