Brady Fights On for Gun Control

Former White House Press Secretary James Brady, wounded in the attempted assassination of President Reagan 20 years ago, rejected claims that gun control efforts have stalled.

Brady, his wife, Sarah, and several lawmakers pledged to fight for tougher laws even though Republicans, traditionally more gun-friendly than Democrats, control both the White House and Congress.

The gun control advocates held a news conference Wednesday to note their accomplishments--most notably the Brady law, which requires that backgrounds of gun buyers be checked--and to try to dispel reports that they have all but given up on passing new legislation in this Congress.

“We’ve got more support now than we’ve ever had,” said Sarah Brady, chairwoman of Handgun Control Inc. and the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence.

She called reports of moving the fight exclusively to the state level “bizarre” but noted that state efforts continue.

James Brady said that 670,000 Americans have been killed by firearms since March 30, 1981, the day he, Reagan and two others were shot in Washington by John Hinckley Jr. Hinckley bought his pistol for $29 at a firearms shop.

Brady blamed the National Rifle Assn. for blocking legislation to mandate child safety locks and close what is called the gun show loophole, which allows the sale without background checks of firearms at gun shows.

“So why weren’t those laws enacted?” Brady asked. “The gun lobby, led by the well-financed National Rifle Assn., called its allies in Congress, took out its checkbook and killed the effort to pass even these modest and reasonable steps toward safer communities.”

In response, an NRA official said that most Americans support the right to bear arms and don’t want new laws passed.

Instead, “more money should be spent to enforce the existing laws against violent criminals,” said James Jay Baker, the NRA’s chief lobbyist. “No redesigning of political strategy can bring these anti-fundamental rights organizations into the mainstream of America.”

Rep. Constance A. Morella of Maryland, the only Republican lawmaker at the event, said President Bush would sign bills closing the gun show loophole and mandating child safety locks if Congress passes them.

“I think he’s going to become an ally,” she said and cited Bush campaign comments in support of such bills.

The White House did not return phone calls to comment.

Several Democrats pledged to file legislation. Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) said his bill will create a permanent waiting period of up to five days for gun buyers.

Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) will introduce legislation to close the gun show loophole. It is modeled after legislation that passed the House after the Columbine High School slayings in Littleton, Colo., in 1999. The legislation was killed in conference committee.