Our Focus
Regulate the Industry
While most consumer goods must meet mandatory safety standards, firearms do not. Congress must require the gun industry to meet stiff safety standards and repeal the protection it enjoys from most liability claims.
Invest in Communities
Violence intervention programs that invest in and provide greater opportunities for the communities closest to the pain of everyday gun violence have successfully reduced gun deaths and saved lives. We must ensure they receive sustained state and federal funding.
Raise Firearm Standards
In America, it’s too easy to obtain a deadly firearm. Congress must pass gun licensing and registration laws that incentivize gun owners to act responsibly and have been shown to significantly reduce the trafficking of illegal firearms.
BUILDING A FUTURE WITH FEWER GUNS
Formed in 2016, Guns Down America is successfully building a future with fewer guns by weakening the gun industry and building political and cultural support for policies that will keep us safe from gun violence. Small but mighty, Guns Down America has led the gun violence prevention movement by ending the NRA’s lucrative insurance program, pushing major American banks to end their business relationships with irresponsible gun manufacturers, and forcing large retailers like Walmart to dramatically shrink gun sales.
Guns Down America has also been on the forefront of combating armed domestic extremists and safeguarding the American voting process from armed intimidation.
WHY GUNS DOWN AMERICA IS UNIQUE
While some gun violence prevention organizations continue to pursue a failed insider strategy that relies on awaiting instructions from the White House and Congressional allies before pursuing reforms, Guns Down America has embarked on a better path.
We are focused on driving elected leaders to live up to their promise of fighting for gun violence prevention legislation and, borrowing a page from the successful marriage equality movement, we’re pushing corporations to embrace the cause of gun violence prevention in order to jumpstart the cultural and political change necessary to create safer communities for us all.
Founded by Igor Volsky, who spent 10 years working at the Center for American Progress and made international headlines in late 2015 after he shamed lawmakers for sending “thoughts and prayers” by pairing their insincere condolences with the campaign contributions they received from the NRA, Guns Down America has a history of quickly and strategically driving smart rapid response efforts that have a clear and compelling message.
OUR THEORY OF CHANGE
A vast majority of Americans support gun reform, but their leaders aren’t listening to them. While we push our lawmakers to live up to the campaign promises they made us, we must also ensure that corporations play their part in keeping us safe from gun violence.
On the issue of marriage equality, the American people were so far ahead of the politicians. LGBTQ activists changed the culture by pushing corporate voices to support their cause. Just like those advocates helped change the culture around marriage equality, we're pushing American businesses to do what they can to keep their customers and employees safe from gun violence