TAKE ACTION: Tell the Senate to Oppose Kash Patel as FBI Director!

PLUS: Honoring Ethan Song, Celebrating Black History Month, and more >>>

This is urgent, friend: The Senate is preparing to vote on whether to confirm Kash Patel as head of the FBI. We cannot let this happen — and you can help us.  The FBI plays a key role in protecting public safety and preventing crime, including gun violence. But Patel has said that on day one he would shut down the FBI as a creature of the "deep state."    As Director of the FBI, Patel would have the power to severely undermine the Brady Background Check System — the life-saving system championed by our namesakes that has stopped over 5 million prohibited gun transactions since its enactment in 1994.    Patel is a known gun rights extremist, conspiracy theorist, and has called even basic gun safety regulations an attack on the Second Amendment. His opposition to gun regulations could also negatively impact the ability of law enforcement to do their jobs, preventing officers from having access to the tools necessary to carry out their investigations and even punishing those who don't adhere to his extremist views.   More than 100 Americans are killed with guns every day, and more than 300 others are wounded. We need a sensible leader at the helm of the FBI to protect our communities and help save lives, not one that has sympathy for dangerous extremists and has promised to use the FBI's power to target Trump's "enemies," protect his allies, and cripple life-saving gun laws.   Pete Hegseth was already confirmed as Secretary of Defense. We cannot let yet another gun extremist join the Trump administration — not when there are lives on the line. Join us in urging the Senate to oppose Kash Patel's nomination as the Director of the FBI. TAKE ACTION >>> In solidarity, Team Brady   President Trump Issues and Partially Reverses "Cataclysmic and Inhumane" Cut in Federal Funding This week, President Trump announced an indefinite suspension of federal funding — a decision that jeopardized $13 billion in bipartisan funding for police, safe storage, suicide prevention, school safety, and more.    The ban was then, in part, reversed a day later.    The Trump administration's initial announcement of sweeping cuts to federal grants and loans would have likely suspended suicide prevention hotlines, ended support for victims of gun violence, gutted school safety and counseling programs, halted community violence intervention initiatives, and hamstrung law enforcement's ability to crack down on gun crime. It would have been devastating, and even deadly, for communities across the country.    The day after this announcement, news reports broke that the cuts had been rescinded, but the White House has said it was not a rescission, but a clarification that cuts to federal grants and loans would only be made to programs implicated by Trump's recently issued executive orders.     The future of federal funds for programs that millions of Americans rely on remains unclear. But one thing is clear: President Trump is executing on proposals he outlined in his Project 2025 playbook. That means programs that save lives from gun violence are still very much on the chopping block. You can count on Brady to defend our progress and sound the alarm if and when the president takes reckless actions that undermine public safety.   As we gear up for the fight of our lives, please read more about Project 2025 and Agenda 47. LEARN MORE >>> Celebrating Black History Month Today marks the first day of Black History Month — a time to honor the contributions and reflect on the experiences of Black individuals and communities in the United States. Throughout the month, we will highlight Black leaders, survivors, activists, elected officials, and others who have fought to prevent gun violence in America — including using their voices to draw attention to the effects of gun violence on Black and Brown communities.   Gun violence is a racial justice issue. It disproportionately impacts Black and Brown people, yet the United States largely ignores the systemic factors driving inequality and violence in these communities. But community-based groups have worked relentlessly to develop community-based solutions that successfully reduce all aspects of gun violence. And we at Brady are honored to work hand in hand with these vital leaders and organizations.    Today, join us in recognizing the first day of Black History Month by listening to our podcast where we discuss gun violence, public policy, and trauma and incarceration as a social determinant of health among Black boys and young Black men. LISTEN NOW >>> Remembering Ethan Song Today, and every day, we are thinking of Ethan, the life he deserved to live, and his family.   This January, Ethan Song would have turned 22 years old. But instead, he was unintentionally shot and killed with a gun that had been left unsecured at a friend's home seven years ago. Had the gun, which was owned by his friend's father, been stored locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition, Ethan would be here today.   Tragically, Ethan is not alone: Each day in America, eight children and teens are unintentionally killed or injured by family fire, a shooting involving an improperly stored or misused gun in the home that results in death or injury.   In the years since Ethan's death, his parents and our beloved friends, Kristin and Michael Song, have dedicated their lives to gun violence prevention, fighting to pass a federal safe gun storage law to protect other children from what ended their son's life. We at Brady are in awe of the Songs and their tireless advocacy to save lives. As we remember and honor Ethan by advocating for safe storage to end family fire, please join us in learning more about his life and his parents' tireless advocacy. LISTEN NOW >>>   TAKE ACTION: Urge Youth to Apply for the Team ENOUGH Youth Advocacy Training Program! Firearms remain the leading cause of death for American youth, and it seems like every day we hear of yet another mass shooting. This makes the work of Team ENOUGH, Brady's youth-led initiative, more critical than ever.   That's why we're calling on you to share Team ENOUGH's applications for the Youth Advocacy Training Programs in Washington, D.C., California, and Florida with a young person you know. Our program is the only national, youth-led group that trains and mobilizes young people to meet with lawmakers and push for critical gun violence prevention measures.    Do you know a young person ready to challenge the status quo and make a difference? Share this opportunity and encourage them to apply today! SHARE THE APPLICATION >>> Applications close on Monday, February 10, 2025 Baltimore Child Dies After Self-Inflicted, Accidental Shooting Led to Charges For Grandmother, Police Say, CBS News   Trump Kills OGVP, Softly, Colorado Ceasefire   New York Lawmakers Introduce "Francesco's Law" For Safer Gun Storage, Harlem World Brady Condemns Trump Administration's "Cataclysmic and Inhumane" Cut in Federal Funding, Brady SHARE ON BLUESKY >>>   Brady 840 First Street, NE Suite 400 Washington, DC 20002 United States   unsubscribe.