The Trump Administration is reviving the federal “relief from disability” guns-for-felons program. Under this program, convicted felons could apply to ATF for “relief” from the “disability” of not being able to buy or possess a gun. From 1985 to 1991, thousands of felons received “relief,” at a taxpayer cost of more than $21 million. In 1992, after VPC research revealed details of the program (including crimes later committed by those granted “relief”), Congress defunded it. More>>
Today the VPC released Long Range Terror: How U.S. 50 Caliber Sniper Rifles Wreak Havoc in Mexico. The 31-page study documents the prevalence of U.S.-sourced 50 caliber sniper rifles illegally trafficked to Mexico and how these weapons are used by cartels to terrorize civilians and attack and undermine government authorities. (The study and press release are also available in Spanish). More>>
Concealed handgun permit holders are responsible for at least 2,541 deaths not involving self-defense since 2007, according to the VPC's ongoing Concealed Carry Killers project, an online resource that provides examples of non-self defense killings involving private citizens with permits to carry concealed handguns in public. More>>
New data from the CDC show that states with the highest rates of overall gun death in the nation are those with weak gun violence prevention laws and high rates of gun ownership according to a new VPC analysis. In contrast, the five states with the lowest overall gun death rates have stronger gun violence prevention laws and lower rates of gun ownership. More>>
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