STATEMENTS OF MAYORS AGAINST ILLEGAL GUNS CO-CHAIRS MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND MAYOR MENINO ON HOUSE COMMITTEE VOTE ON MEASURE TO CLOSE THE “TERROR GAP” IN NATIONAL SECURITY LAWS

House Judiciary Committee Voted Today Against Amendment to Close the Terror Gap by Giving the Justice Department Discretion to Deny Gun and Explosive Sales to Terrorists 

Last Night, the New York City Police Department Arrested Two Terror Suspects Who Attempted to Buy Guns and Explosives 

Statement of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg: 

“The amendment proposed in the House Judiciary Committee would have prevented terror suspects from purchasing guns and explosives, but sadly it fell prey to partisan politics. Today’s vote was the just the first step in the wider debate that Representative Quigley – and those who supported the amendment like Representatives Conyers, Nadler and Scott – will help lead in the weeks ahead. Hopefully, last night’s arrest in New York City of two terrorists plotting an attack using guns and explosives will help convince Congress that this is a national security issue and they need to do the right thing and pass this legislation.”

Statement of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino

“Federal law prohibits convicted felons and other categories of dangerous individuals from buying guns. But when someone the FBI suspects of plotting a terror attack buys an arsenal of guns and even explosives, the government currently has no power to stop them. I thank Representative Mike Quigley for his common sense anti-terrorism amendment to give FBI this critical authority, which both the Bush Administration and the Obama Administration have called for. Mayors Against Illegal Guns will continue urging Congress to swiftly pass Representative Peter King’s pending bi-partisan legislation to fix this flaw and protect national security.”