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A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 28 July 2022

Continued from Front people from a greater dis-
The Committee on Over- tance, said Kelly Sampson,
sight and Reform said some senior counsel and director
ads mimic popular first-per- of racial justice with Brady,
son shooter video games a group pressing to end
or tout the weapons' mili- gun violence that generally
tary pedigree while others supports restrictions.
claim the guns will put buy- "If we renew the assault
ers "at the top of the testos- weapons ban, that would
terone food chain." take away a key piece of
Those sales tactics are what allows mass shooters
"deeply disturbing, exploit- to kill more people in less
ative and reckless," said time without having to stop
Democratic Rep. Carolyn to reload," she said.
Maloney of New York. "In There have been 15 mass
short, the gun industry is killings this year, according
profiting off the blood of in- to the Associated Press/
nocent Americans." USA TODAY/Northeastern
Gun makers, on the other University Mass Killing Da-
hand, said AR-15-style rifles tabase. According to that
are responsible for a small research, those incidents
portion of gun homicides have left 86 dead and 63
and the blame must go to injured. Guns were used in
the shooters rather than AR-15-style rifles are on display at Burbank Ammo & Guns in Burbank, Calif., June 23, 2022. all of them, and in at least
their weapons. Associated Press seven instances they were
"What we saw in Uvalde, AR-15-style weapons. Mass
Buffalo and Highland Park they took in a combined that financing can be ap- backdrop of a record-set- killings are defined as inci-
was pure evil," said Marty total of more than $1 bil- proved "in seconds." ting overall increase in gun dents where at least four
Daniels, the CEO of Daniel lion in revenue over the Salvador Ramos, accused sales that began around people are killed.
Defense, the company that past 10 years from the sale in the Uvalde shootings, the start of the coronavirus But the AR-15 and similar
made the weapon used in of AR-15-style firearms. The began purchasing firearms pandemic. About 8.5 mil- weapons are also popular
Texas. "The cruelty of the revenue numbers were re- and ammunition when lion people bought guns with people who buy guns
murderers who committed leased for the committee he turned 18, eventually for the first time in 2020, said for self defense, said An-
these acts is unfathomable hearing focused on the spending more than $5,000 Republican Rep. Jody Hice tonia Okafor, the national
and deeply disturbs me, marketing and sales of the on two AR-style rifles, am- of Georgia. He added that, director of outreach for
my family, my employees firearms that have gained munition and other gear in "American people have a the group Gun Owners of
and millions of Americans notoriety because of their the days before the massa- right to own guns." America. Such rifles allow
across this country." use in the mass killings. cre, authorities have said. The hearing comes amid a people, including women,
However, he added later in Two of the companies ap- Sturm, Ruger & Co.'s gross push by House Democrats to shoot a larger gun with-
testimony before the com- proximately tripled their revenue, meanwhile, has to get legislation passed out having to absorb as
mittee, "I believe that these revenue from the weapons nearly tripled from $39 mil- that would ban certain much recoil. "The AR-15
murders are local problems over the past three years, lion to $103 million since semi-automatic weapons. makes it easier for those
that have to be solved lo- the committee found. Dan- 2019, and Smith and Wes- It's the lawmakers' most far- who have a physical disad-
cally." iel Defense, based near son reported that its rev- reaching response yet to vantage to the attacker to
Gun violence overall spiked Savannah, Georgia, raised enues from all long guns this summer's mass shoot- have an upper hand," she
in 2020, but recent statistics that revenue from $40 mil- doubled from 2019 to ings. said. Wednesday's hearing
indicate it is coming down lion in 2019 to more than 2021. Gun manufacturers, While AR-15-style firearms marked the first time in 20
this year in many cities. $120 million last year. The the committee said, don't aren't necessarily the main years that CEOs of leading
The House panel's investi- company sells weapons gather or analyze safety drivers of U.S. gun violence gun manufacturers testified
gation focused on five ma- like the one used in Uvalde data related to firearms. overall, their design allows about their businesses, Ma-
jor gunmakers, and found on credit and advertises The increases are against a shooters to harm more loney said.q

Aviator Amelia Earhart honored with

statue at U.S. Capitol

WASHINGTON (AP) — Con- a statue in the collection, called 'pilots,'" Davids said.
gressional leaders and Kan- where each state is repre- House Speaker Nancy Pe-
sas officials praised aviation sented by two people of losi noted that Earhart,
pioneer Amelia Earhart on significance. who was born and raised
Wednesday for advancing U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of in Atchison, Kansas, was
the cause of women's rights Kansas said that while Ear- the first woman to ever
during her barrier-breaking hart is best known for fly- receive the Distinguished
career at a ceremony un- ing across the ocean, she Flying Cross from the U.S.
veiling her statue in the U.S. was also a military nurse, Congress. "Not only was
Capitol. social worker, author, and she an outstanding aviator,
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, center, is joined by Speaker Nancy Earhart, the first woman a champion for women's but she had a strong moral
Pelosi, D-Calif., center left, Senate Minority Leader Mitch Mc- to fly solo across the At- advancement. "Female pi- compass as an outspo-
Connell, R-Ky., far left, former Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran, center lantic Ocean, joins Presi- lots used to be called 'lady- ken champion for gender
right, for the dedication and unveiling ceremony of a statue in dent Dwight Eisenhower birds,' 'sweethearts of the equality," Pelosi said. "Ame-
honor of Amelia Earhart, one of the world's most celebrated avi-
ators and the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, as Kansas icons enshrined air,' and because of Ame- lia envisioned aviation as
in Statuary Hall, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July in the National Statuary lia Earhart, back then, now a great equalizer, and she
27, 2022. Hall Collection. She is the and into the future, women fought valiantly to close
Associated Press 11th woman honored with who fly planes are now the gender gap."q