SALEM, Ore. — Today, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, and over a hundred Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Volunteers called for action on gun safety during their annual advocacy day in Salem. This year’s advocacy day coincides with the celebration of 10 years of Moms Demand Action’s life-saving work to protect our families and communities from gun violence.
“Over the last decade, our grassroots movement has changed the political calculus and narrative on gun safety in Oregon,” said Amie Wexler, a volunteer with the Oregon Chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Thanks to the advocacy of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers, Oregon has become a national leader in the fight to end gun violence. Now, alongside our gun sense leaders, we’re building on that progress and demanding continued action to save lives from gun violence.”
Thanks to the advocacy of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers, gun safety advocates fended off every measure seeking to weaken Oregon’s gun laws, and after seeing tragedies unfold throughout the state and nation, volunteers worked with lawmakers to enact new gun safety legislation like a secure storage law in 2021, an extreme risk law in 2017, and background checks on all gun sales in 2015 – all to protect Oregon families from gun violence.
This year, Moms Demand Action volunteers throughout our nation are asking lawmakers to take action and pass additional proactive measures that will save lives. This comes after Moms Demand Action volunteers had major success this past election cycle — across the country 150 Moms Demand Action volunteers won their race for office, and gun violence prevention proved to be a winning issue — including in Oregon. In 2022, Oregonians elected nine Moms Demand Action volunteers for office up and down the ballot in the midterm elections, highlighting the political power of Moms Demand Action volunteers and the importance of gun safety for voters. This was in addition to voting to implement Measure 114, which contains critical policies that help keep our communities safe.
Oregon is a national leader in the fight against gun violence. In an average year, 587 people die by guns in Oregon. With a rate of 13.0 deaths per 100,000 people, the state has the 34th-highest rate of gun deaths in the US. More information about gun violence in Oregon is available here. To speak to a local volunteer with Moms Demand Action, a volunteer with Students Demand Action, or a policy expert, please reach out to [email protected].
