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The Honorable Dianne Feinstein The Honorable Adam Schiff 331 Hart Senate Office Building 2309 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D. C. 20510 Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Alex Padilla The Honorable Brad Sherman 112 Hart Senate Office Building 2181 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, DC 20515
June 21, 2022
RE: A Letter from the Burbank City Council to the United States Congress Supporting Stronger Gun Control Laws
Dear United States Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Alex Padilla, Congressman Schiff, and Congressman Brad Sherman,
As concerned citizens and City Council Members of Burbank, California, we urgently ask you to please work with your congressional colleagues in the House and Senate to enact stronger federal laws that will help protect our children, residents, and communities from gun violence.
In the month of May, 44 mass shootings occurred in communities across our country, killing 60 people and injuring 209, and even more deaths have resulted from gun violence other than mass shootings. Stronger federal laws may have prevented these tragedies.
In cities, towns and villages across our country, children should not have to go to school worrying about being shot, people should be able to go to the grocery store without the fear of being killed because of the color of their skin, and worshippers shou ld not fear going to their place of worship thinking they could be targeted because of their beliefs.
Burbank residents have clearly made their voices heard on this issue through emails, calls, and public comment at our recent meetings – they are shaken, upset and demanding prompt action to help prevent future tragedies. The front steps of our City Hall were the site of a vigil last week attended by a committed group of locals who are mourning, hurting and ready to work towards solutions to end gun violence.
We need your help and decisive leadership! Now is a crucial time to act at the federal level to stem the tide of gun violence. We must reflect on lessons learned from Buffalo, New York; Parkland, Florida; Newtown, Connecticut; and most recently Uvalde, Texas and act, now.
Consistent with our City’s legislative platform and with guidance from the National League of Cities, we call on Congress to quickly enact stronger laws that keep guns out of the hands of individuals who intend to commit violence, as well as support stronger mental health systems by:
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1. Shutting down the illegal sale and distribution of firearms and gun trafficking;
2. Requiring a waiting period of up to 30 days for the purchase or transfer of all guns so that local police agencies may check the criminal and mental health status of purchasers;
3. Banning the manufacture, sale, importation, or transfer of all automatic and semi- automatic assault-type weapons;
4. Requiring the Department of Justice to work closely with state and local law enforcement to aggressively target and hold accountable licensed and unlicensed individuals who break the law by knowingly selling or transferring firearms or ammunition to prohibited persons, gun traffickers, or straw purchasers;
5. Helping state and local governments enact extreme risk protection orders, also known as red flag laws;
6. Requiring every state to include people who have been adjudicated as mentally ill or have been committed to any mental institution to be registered as a prohibited person in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS);
7. Establishing a national commission that consists of federal, state, and local officials, gun rights advocates, survivors of gun violence, law enforcement officials, and medical and mental health providers to recommend legislative solutions aimed at reducing gun violence in the United States;
8. Ensuring that all Americans have access to adequate physical and mental health care, including mental health parity and the provision of comprehensive services to address mental health needs for persons with general mental health conditions, serious mental health diagnoses, and substance use disorders; and
9. Increasing federal funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to support data and indicators that will inform local strategy in cities and towns across our country as they address the issue of violence in their communities.
The devastating gun violence occurring in our Nation needs immediate action so that all our residents, especially our children, can feel safe, protected, and cared for. The Burbank, California, City Council Members respectfully and strongly urge all Members of Congress to pass robust bipartisan legislation that protects our Second Amendment rights while ensuring public safety.
Sincerely,
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Jess A. Talamantes, Mayor
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Konstantine Anthony, Vice Mayor
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Bob Frutos, Council Member
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Sharon Springer, Council Member
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Nick Schultz, Council Member