Washington - This afternoon, an amendment in the U.S. Senate that would have allowed a state's concealed weapons laws to trump stronger gun safety laws in other states was defeated when it fell short of the 60 votes needed to pass. U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) was a leading opponent of the Thune amendment to the Department of Defense authorization bill, and he released the following statement upon the amendment's defeat:

"We should dedicate this victory for gun safety to Jersey City police officer Marc DiNardo, who passed away yesterday from gunshots fired by a heavily-armed suspect. Our brave law enforcement officers already have enough danger to deal with as they keep our families safe. Had this amendment passed, those officers would have another concern on their minds -- every time they stopped a car, they would have to worry even more about whether the person in the driver's seat is armed with a hidden weapon.

"This is one of those times when the defeat of legislation is actually a victory. For families who don't want to have to worry about who might be hiding a gun every time they take their kids to school, go to the supermarket or go to work, this is a big victory in the name of safety."

"In a country where the second leading cause of death for our youth is gun violence, this amendment would have been doubly dangerous. It would have benefitted criminals, not their victims, by making it easier for people hiding a gun to stroll into a school, a playground or a crowded stadium. And it would have trampled the rights of the people in our state to make our own safety laws, which are based on a different and unique experience from states where gun laws are lax. We don't expect this to be the last attempt to weaken gun safety laws where they are strong, but each and every time, we will stand up for the safety of our families."

Video of Menendez speaking against the Thune amendment prior to vote: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU4hDRXe9V0

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