WASHINGTON - September 26 - Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, issued the following statement today regarding the passage of a House bill regarding gun dealers:

"The United States House of Representatives today chose to pass special interest legislation that benefits the law-breaking gun pushers who make money by selling firearms that end up in the hands of killers, muggers and thieves. They ignored the concerns of our nation's Mayors and law enforcement leaders who opposed this awful bill.

"One must ask the question: When does this end in our country? How many children and police officers must die before our elected members of Congress stop doing the bidding of the gun lobby? Today in Pennsylvania, the families of the victims of gun violence drove for hours to get to the state Capitol to ask for help. In New York, Detroit, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, my home city of Fort Wayne, Ind., and cities all over America, the people want their leaders to get the illegal guns off the streets.

"In Washington, D.C., instead of listening to all of those voices, a loud message was sent to the gun traffickers: Keep the guns coming. That's a frightening message."

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