MAYORS AGAINST ILLEGAL GUNS THANKS PRESIDENT OBAMA AND CONGRESS FOR INCREASING CRITICAL FUNDING FOR BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES

Congress Acts on Recommendation Made by Mayors’ Coalition to Combat Illegal Firearms Trafficking Along the U.S.-Mexico Border

The more than 500 members of the bi-partisan coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, co-chaired by New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, hailed new legislation, signed into law today by President Obama, authorizing $37.5 million in additional funding for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) efforts to secure America's borders. The coalition recommended the move as part of its Blueprint for Federal Action on Illegal Guns, a comprehensive report released in 2009. In the Blueprint, the Mayors recommended that ATF receive $39 million in additional funds to improve gun trafficking interdiction on the Southwest border by hiring permanent personnel, supporting gun tracing and enforcement operations, and increasing joint task forces between ATF and local law enforcement along the border.

"Congress and the President deserve credit for beginning to listen to America's mayors and police to get more resources to help the ATF in its mission to combat illegal gun trafficking," said Mayor Bloomberg. "The simple truth is that ATF needs more support from Washington so they can do their job of enforcing our nation's laws more effectively. I want to thank Senator Schumer for his leadership in taking this important step to give ATF greater capacity to interrupt illegal gun trafficking along our Southwest border."

"The members of this coalition, more than 500 strong, are doing out part to fight illegal guns in our communities," said Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. "But we can't do it alone. We've long said that ATF needs more support to effectively enforce federal gun laws, and we applaud President Obama and the Congress for taking this positive step today."

To read the Blueprint for Federal Action on Illegal Guns, visit: http://www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/blueprint.