Friday, March 2, 2018

Senator Tarr and President Chandler Call On Congressional Leaders To Secure Public Safety Solutions Senate Lawmakers Call On Congressional Leaders To Secure Public Safety Solutions

This afternoon I distributed this press release.

Boston– The Republican and Democrat leaders of the State Senate today called on Congressional leaders of both parties to pursue legislative solutions that could reduce gun violence in the nation. In a letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R- Gloucester) and Senate President Harriette Chandler (D – Worcester) urged federal lawmakers to work collaboratively.

“We urge you to consider and adopt the types of very practical and reasonable provisions that we have legislated to protect our residents. Meaningful and strict background checks, a ban on “bump stocks” and “trigger cranks,” and rejecting so-called “concealed carry reciprocity” legislation that would undermine our state’s licensing system would be a good start,” Chandler and Tarr wrote.

Acknowledging that reaching bipartisan consensus on federal legislation will be challenging, the pair declared that not only is addressing the impact of gun violence necessary doing so was possible if partisan politics yielded to “common ground” protections.

“A foundation of our government is preserving order and keeping the public safe from those who would cause harm; legislative leadership requires attention to constituents’ needs, vigilance and the willingness to work together, regardless of party affiliation, to solve problems while preserving civil constitutional and civil order,” said Senator Tarr.

"The Massachusetts Senate has committed itself to pursuing smart and sensible gun control policy," said Senate President Harriette L. Chandler (D-Worcester). “Our laws and regulations have been successful in keeping our constituents safe, and I hope that our colleagues in Washington can follow the example that the Commonwealth has set.”

The state Senate leaders extended an offer to discuss the Massachusetts model of bipartisanship and the success our state has had in securing the ranking of the safest state from gun violence in the nation.

Tarr and Chandler also cautioned against federal changes that could bypass safeguards adopted in our state that would allow any other state from issuing a concealed carry permit that would be automatically valid in Massachusetts.