February 25, 2019
Dear Members of the House of Representatives:
As leaders of some of America’s most respected companies, we are writing to you because we have a
responsibility and obligation to stand up for the safety of our employees, customers and all Americans in
the communities we serve across the country.
America’s gun violence crisis is simply unacceptable. Every day, 100 Americans are shot and killed, and
hundreds more are wounded by gun violence. In fact, every year, more than 36,000 Americans are shot
and killed, including nearly 3,000 children and adolescents. It is happening all around us: on our city
streets, in our schools, in our places of worship, and our places of business.
Gun violence in America is not inevitable; it’s preventable. There are steps Congress can, and must, take
to prevent and reduce gun violence.
That’s why we urge the House of Representatives to stand with the American public and take
action on gun safety by voting for H.R. 8, The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, to
require background checks on all gun sales.
Background checks work. They save lives, and poll after poll demonstrates overwhelming support —
including by a majority of gun owners — for requiring background checks on all gun sales. Since
Congress established the background check system 25 years ago, background checks have blocked
more than 3.5 million gun sales to prohibited purchasers, including to convicted felons, domestic abusers,
and people who have been involuntarily committed.
However, in the decades since, the law requiring background checks on gun sales has not been updated
to reflect how people buy guns today. H.R. 8 would update the background checks law, helping to keep
guns out of the wrong hands and save people’s lives. Background checks on all gun sales are a commonsense solution and a foundational step toward stemming the gun violence epidemic in this country.
It is time for Congress to take action.
Members of the House of Representatives should honor all Americans who have been affected by gun
violence by voting for H.R. 8, The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019.
Sincerely,

Chip Bergh
President and Chief Executive Officer,
Levi Strauss & Co.

Blake Mycoskie
Founder and Chief Shoe Giver, TOMS

Scott Rechler
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,
RXR Realty

Edward Stack
Chief Executive Officer, Dick's Sporting Goods