Issue Position: Crime and Gun Control

Issue Position

As a former mayor, I firmly believe that the federal government has an obligation to help communities in the fight against crime and I have consistently championed allocating additional resources to help get the job done.

I strongly opposed President Bush's cutbacks to the COPS program. In the 1990s, this program provided key federal money to help local governments keep police officers on the streets and in neighborhoods. I worked to reauthorize the COPS program and led an effort to urge President Bush to restore its funding. I was very happy that we were able to include $1 billion in COPS funding in the stimulus bill, H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. I remain hopeful that we can look forward to increased emphasis on this important program.

Moved by the story of a young constituent threatened for speaking out about a crime he witnessed, I introduced the Young Witness Assistance Act to establish a grant program to give local prosecutors and police funding to help protect young witnesses. The legislation has become law and is designed to support a number of essential services such as counseling, pre and post trial assistance and protective services.

Following the tragedy in Newtown, CT President Obama announced that his Administration would send a gun control package to Congress. The President also called for the renewal of the assault weapons ban. There is no reason Congress can't take action on that quickly. I supported renewing the assault weapons ban in 2004, and I am sorry that it expired without a vote. We cannot prevent every act of violence, but there are certainly many steps that can be taken to improve safety. Congress must extend the assault weapons ban, close gun show loopholes, ban the sale of large capacity magazines, and restrict sales at gun shows. I support all of this. I am hopeful that meaningful gun control will finally be implemented early in 2013.

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