Questions asked: Thank you letters sent to Elected Official Responders below: Michigan Elected Officials: Senator Debbie Stabenow(D), Senator Gary Peters(D), Representative Justin Amash(R), Rep. Mike Nofs(R), Rep. Julie Calley(R) Thank-you letter: 4-17-18 Dear _____________, Thank you for responding to my letter re: gun safety. I am so disappointed to hear that you do not support a ban on assault weapons. Military arms do not belong in civilian hands. I assume you do receive funding from the NRA as I do remember you stating at a town hall once that you ' will accept money from anyone who wants to donate to you'. This explains your stand on a ban on assault weapons. Sincerely, Jackie Original and Third sending Letter sent: The MceZ Core Principle for February is Community! February 27, 2018 Subject: Gun Control Dear ______________. I am writing today to urge you to take a courageous moral stand and support a ban on assault weapons. As you know, according to Vox reporter German Lopez, since 2012 there have been more than 1,600 mass shootings killing more than 1,800 people and wounding more than 6,400 in the US. According to CNN the US makes up less than 5% of the world’s population but holds 31% of global mass shooters. The US also has by far the highest number of privately owned guns in the world with a 2007 estimate of 88.8 guns per 100 civilians or more than one per adult. Keeping assault weapons in the hands of civilians is crazy. Civilians are not able to purchase land mines, hand grenades, tanks, mortars, bombs etc. so why are military assault weapons sold to civilians in the US? These fire arms are clearly not for hunting, target shooting or defense. They are designed to kill many people in a very short time. It is only common sense that assault weapons be banned. I understand that even though the NRA makes up only 7% of US gun owners and that polls show a clear majority of Americans support a ban on assault weapons legislators continue to vote the way the NRA asks them to – if they want to continue to receive funding. I have two questions for you: 1. How much funding do you receive from the NRA? 2. Do you support a ban on assault weapons to help reduce mass shootings? I am looking forward to hearing from you soon and will contact you again if I do not hear from you in the next week. Thank you for your service. Sincerely, Jackie S. www.MceZ.org Policy and Disclaimer Statement From Senator StabenowApril 12, 2018 Dear Jackie, Thank you for reaching out in the wake of the horrific school shooting in Parkland, Florida. I share your frustration and grief over the tragic number of people we have lost to violence in our communities and our nation’s schools. Thoughts and prayers are no longer enough: it’s time to act. I stood with students and families in Michigan and all across the country in the March for Our Lives to demand meaningful reform of our gun safety laws. There are so many common sense measures we can take to keep our schools and communities safe. I cosponsored two measures that recently became law. The STOP School Violence Act provides grants to improve school security and train teachers and students to identify signs of violence and intervene. The FIX NICS Act strengthens and closes gaps in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. But we must do more. I am cosponsoring several other measures in the Senate, including legislation to require background checks for all gun purchases, fund gun violence research at the Center for Disease Control, keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, and ban bump stocks. I also support a ban on military-style assault weapons. I believe we can keep our children safe and still respect Michigan’s proud hunting and outdoors heritage. I value your input as we work together to find solutions. Thank you again for contacting me. Please continue to keep me informed of your thoughts on issues of concern to you and your family. Sincerely, Debbie Stabenow From Senator PetersApril 4, 2018 Dear Jackie, Thank you for contacting me about gun safety legislation. I appreciate you taking the time to express your views. Your input is, and will always be, welcomed and appreciated. As a former Lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, trained marksman, and gun owner, I understand the unique place firearms hold in American heritage and history. We must always respect the constitutional rights of responsible gun owners. Congress must take action to keep guns out the hands of dangerous people. I am horrified and saddened by the tragedies in our nation’s schools, churches, and public events, which have become far too commonplace. Cities like Detroit know all too well the toll that daily gun violence takes on a community. We must do more to reduce gun-related violence and implement common sense measures to protect public safety and prevent future tragedies. I have consistently supported the expansion of effective background check systems to help keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them, a policy that is supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans. Since serving in the House of Representatives, I have supported fully funding, implementing, and improving the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which Congress created to prevent prohibited individuals such as criminals and the mentally ill from easily obtaining guns. I am a cosponsor of the Fix NICS Act which passed as a part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018. However, many gun sales are not subject to background checks, including those between private sellers who are complete and total strangers. Expanding background checks is a necessary step in preventing dangerous individuals from purchasing guns. I voted in favor of an amendment that would have required background checks for gun sales between private sellers. I have also supported efforts to close the “terror gap” to prevent individuals on the terrorist watch lists from purchasing firearms. Unfortunately, both efforts failed to advance in the Senate. Common sense measures like closing the terror gap and improving background checks will help us enforce existing laws and keep lawful guns away from dangerous criminals. Additionally, I am concerned by public access to bump stocks and other tools used to enhance firearm capacity. Bump stocks modify semi-automatic firearms to allow them to function more like automatic weapons. I am a cosponsor of the Automatic Gunfire Prevention Act which would close the loophole that currently makes bump stocks available to the public. Moreover, I am committed to increasing law enforcement efforts to curb the black market for firearms. Efforts to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous people need to address all distribution methods. In addition to these sensible measures, we must improve school safety and gain a better understanding of the relationship between media violence and gun violence. To help schools improve their security, I cosponsored the STOP School Violence Act, which passed in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018. This bill will allow the Department of Justice to make grants to states for training, technology, and equipment and technical assistance to stop school violence. In order to gain a better understanding of the causes of gun violence, I have also cosponsored legislation that would provide funding to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) for researching firearm safety and gun violence. A clarification of rules for CDC research was also included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, this clarification allows the CDC to conduct gun violence research. It is essential that we explore the underlying causes of gun violence and look critically at the impact of the how the media covers them. Although we will never be able to stop every single act of violence, we can implement meaningful policies that will help save lives. I will do everything possible to support legislation that will reduce gun violence while respecting the rights of lawful gun owners. Thank you again for contacting me. I always enjoy hearing from you and hope that you take the time to contact me again soon. For more information, please feel free to visit my website, http://www.peters.senate.gov, or find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @SenGaryPeters. Sincerely, Gary C. Peters United States Senator From Representative AmashMarch 28, 2018 Dear Jackie, Thank you for contacting my office regarding gun laws. I appreciate hearing from you on these issues. The Second Amendment limits the government’s power to restrict the right to purchase, transport, and possess a firearm. The Framers established the Second Amendment to preserve liberty and a balance of power that keeps the government accountable to the people. Additionally, arms in the hands of law-abiding citizens can deter crime more effectively than bans on common types of handguns and rifles. The government must not infringe on our constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms. I support states’ ability to set policy on these issues according to the wishes of their citizens and within constitutional constraints. I will keep your comments in mind as I continue to monitor legislation on these issues. Thank you again for contacting me, and please feel free to contact my office if I can be of further assistance. Sincerely, Justin Amash United States Representative Third District of Michigan P.S. I explain every vote I take in the House of Representatives on my Facebook Page. You can find my Page by searching for “Justin Amash” on Facebook. You can “like” my Page to receive real-time updates and interact with me while you are logged in to Facebook, but you do not need a Facebook account to view my posts. ***Please do not reply directly to this email address, as it is an unattended mailbox. You can reach my office at http://amash.house.gov/contact.*** From Rep. Julie CalleyMy Thank You Letter 3-15-18 Subject: Protecting our Citizens with a ban on assault weapons Dear Rep. Calley, Thank you for responding to my inquiries. I am glad to hear you do not accept donations from the NRA which, as you know, is not a non profit and does not represent gun owners but gun makers. I am so sorry to hear you do not support a ban on assault weapons which are military weapons used only to kill many people at one time, not for defense or hunting and do not belong in our communities. As a retired school social worker I certainly agree with your view of not blaming those who are mentally ill. Most of these perpetrators are clearly socially maladjusted, not mentally ill. It is also true our schools need more support staff such as social workers, psychologists, and counselors. You do not mention arming teachers and I am so glad. It is a ridiculous idea. I do hope you will reconsider your stand on an assault weapon ban as well as a ban on bump stocks. Thank you for your work. Sincerely, Jackie Response by Rep. Julie Calley Rep. Julie Calley (District 87) <JulieCalley@house.mi.gov> 3/13/18 Jackie, To answer your questions, first, I have not received any funding from the NRA. Campaign contributions are required to be reported to the Secretary of State and are fully visible for online searches. All of my donors are disclosed per Michigan law. Second, I don’t believe assault weapon bans will end the violence. Anyone could drive a vehicle into a school or other public area, causing mass casualties if they really wanted to do harm. There are a lot of elements to the recent tragedy that need to be examined. One direction that greatly concerns me is the propensity to blame those who are mentally ill. We do have to improve our efficacy in treatment and support for all ages, but the truth is that most people who live with developmental disabilities or mental illness are more often victims of a crime than perpetrators. Much of the media focus around the tragedy in Florida only promotes stigma and may dissuade people from seeking mental health treatment. As the traditional family continues to break down, our schools are facing greater challenges than ever. Our educators need more support. Some possibilities are school social workers, psychologists, behaviorists, and/or counselors, in addition to better collaboration with our local Community Mental Health. As always, funding is a serious roadblock, but the timing is appropriate, as we are currently working on the budget for the coming year. In the meantime, we should all be watching the Michigan Supreme Court, as they will be deciding whether schools have the right to declare themselves as Gun Free Zones sometime this year. I hope this is helpful. Julie Calley State Rep., 87th District 517-373-0842 My Letter to State Rep. Julie Calley The MceZ Core Principle for March is Critical Thinking March 15, 2018 OPEN LETTER Subject: Protecting our Citizens with a ban on assault weapons Dear Rep. Calley, Thank you for responding to my inquiries. I am glad to hear you do not accept donations from the NRA which, as you know, is not a non profit and does not represent gun owners but gun makers. I am so sorry to hear you do not support a ban on assault weapons which are military weapons used only to kill many people at one time, not for defense or hunting and do not belong in our communities. As a retired school social worker I certainly agree with your view of not blaming those who are mentally ill. Most of these perpetrators are clearly socially maladjusted, not mentally ill. It is also true our schools need more support staff such as social workers, psychologists, and counselors. You do not mention arming teachers and I am so glad. It is a ridiculous idea. I do hope you will reconsider your stand on an assault weapon ban as well as a ban on bump stocks. Thank you for your work. Sincerely, Jackie www.MceZ.org Policy and Disclaimer Statement From Rep. Mike NofsMy Thank You Letter 4-17-18
Dear Sen. Nofs, Thank you for responding to my letter re: ban on assault weapons. I am so happy to hear that you do not accept donations from the NRA which is not a nonprofit, does not represent firearm owners, but does represent the fire arm industry. Arming teachers is totally crazy and unworkable for obvious reasons. I would also like to point out that there was a police presence at the High School in Parkland. As a former police officer I am surprise you would not support a ban on assault weapons which are used only to kill many people at a time and not for hunting or defense. They are military weapons and should not be sold to our citizens any more than hand grenades and grenade launchers. The police officers are on the front lines and out armed now. Many seem to be opposed to citizens accessing assault weapons and for good reason. Our police officers are not safe. Background checks are intrusive and ineffective as most violent criminals are actually socially maladjusted not mentally ill. Background checks must include charges of domestic violence where police have been involved. His response 3-9-18 Dear Jackie, Thank you for your e-mails and sharing your concerns about proposed changes to the DEQ rule promulgation process and contributions from the NRA. From my experience, consensus building is the most important aspect of the legislative process. I think it makes sense to have those impacted by regulation at the table when the concepts and goals are discussed. As such, I did choose to support this package of bills when it was presented for a vote of the Senate in January. All three bills are currently awaiting action in the House Natural Resources Committee. I encourage you to reach out to your state representative to ensure that they are made aware of your position on the proposed bills. Regarding the NRA, I have never received a donation from them in almost 14 years in the state legislature. As you may already be aware, I retired from the Michigan State Police and as such tend to look at gun issues from the law enforcement perspective. As the Post Commander in Battle Creek I was a member of the Calhoun County Gun Board which was responsible for vetting applicants for pistol licenses. I believe that there needs to be better vetting of individuals, particularly those with mental health concerns or a history of violence before they can access weapons. Beyond a better vetting process, as unfortunate as it is, I think we need a law enforcement presence in our schools. Multiple studies have validated the correlation between a visible law enforcement presence and a decrease in violent crimes. I cannot speak for what will happen in Washington but I will continue to approach this issue with my colleagues in the Michigan legislature with an open mind and judge forthcoming ideas on their individual merits. Thank you for your email. Sincerely, Mike Nofs State Senator District 19 The MceZ Core Principle for March is Critical Thinking! Senator Michael Nofs S-132 State Capitol Building Lansing, MI 48909 March 6, 2018 OPEN LETTER Subject: Protecting our Citizens through Gun Control Dear Senator Nofs, I am writing today to urge you to take a courageous moral stand and support a ban on assault weapons. As you know, according to Vox reporter German Lopez, since 2012 there have been more than 1,600 mass shootings killing more than 1,800 people and wounding more than 6,400 in the US. According to CNN the US makes up less than 5% of the world’s population but holds 31% of global mass shooters. The US also has by far the highest number of privately owned guns in the world with a 2007 estimate of 88.8 guns per 100 civilians or more than one per adult. Keeping assault weapons in the hands of civilians is crazy. Civilians are not able to purchase land mines, hand grenades, tanks, mortars, bombs etc. so why are military assault weapons sold to civilians in the US? These fire arms are clearly not for hunting, target shooting or defense. They are designed to kill many people in a very short time. It is only common sense that assault weapons be banned. I understand that even though the NRA makes up only 7% of US gun owners and that polls show a clear majority of Americans support a ban on assault weapons legislators continue to vote the way the NRA asks them to – if they want to continue to receive funding. I have two questions for you:
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