About Us

The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and its legislative and grassroots affiliate, the Brady Campaign and its dedicated network of Million Mom March Chapters, is the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence.

We are devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities.

As the Brady Campaign, we work to enact and enforce sensible gun laws, regulations, and public policies through grassroots activism, electing public officials who support gun laws, and increasing public awareness of gun violence. Through our Million Mom March Chapters, we work locally to educate, remember victims, and pass sensible gun laws, believing that children have the right to grow up in environments free from the threat of gun violence.

As the Brady Center, we work to reform the gun industry by enacting and enforcing sensible regulations to reduce gun violence, including regulations governing the gun industry. In addition, we educate the public about gun violence through litigation, grassroots mobilization, and outreach to affected communities.

We have recently launched our Campaign Against Illegal Guns, a landmark multi-year effort to stem the trafficking of guns from licensed gun dealers into the hands of criminals, kids, and other prohibited purchasers. Through this focused effort, we hope to ensure that the issue of illegal guns becomes a key political issue at the local, state, and federal levels. Guns don't fall from the sky into the hands of criminals. The crime gun market is fed by a small, identifiable group of reckless gun dealers. We must stop the flood of illegal guns at its source, the gun dealers who put profit ahead of public safety. Learn more about the Campaign Against Illegal Guns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why Brady?

For 25 years, the image of President Ronald Reagan and Jim Brady being shot in Washington has remained etched in the public mind. Jim was shot and grievously injured, but, with his wife Sarah by his side, he courageously survived.

Not long after Jim was gunned down, Sarah was outraged all over again when her then six-year-old son Scott found what he thought was a toy gun in a relative's pickup truck. In fact, it was not a toy. It was a fully-loaded handgun.

She and Jim knew the National Rifle Association bore heavy responsibility for the easy availability of guns like those that shot Jim and threatened their son's life. And they knew they had to fight back to keep the NRA from running roughshod over our nation 's gun laws.

Ever since, Jim and Sarah Brady have led the organization and committed themselves to the fight to end gun violence.

Q. How is Brady connected to the Million Mom March Chapters?

In 2001, the Million Mom March Chapters merged with the Brady Campaign. What started as one of the largest marches on Washington is now a national network of 75 Chapters around the U.S. that work locally, yet stand together, in their fight against gun violence and the devastation it causes.

Q. Does Brady work with Law Enforcement?

Yes! We have worked closely with law enforcement allies for the past 25 years to reduce gun related injuries and deaths in America. Our Law Enforcement Relations (LER) Department works diligently with local, state and federal lawmakers to strengthen existing laws, close loopholes and pass new laws designed to reduce the number of illegal guns on our streets and keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

When lethal new weapons come on the market, LER issues officer alerts and provide vital information police can use to educate the public and keep communities safer. LER works closely with law enforcement throughout the country, implementing programs to reduce gun violence in schools and communities.

Q. What is Brady doing right now to prevent gun violence?

Brady works on the federal and state level to protect sensible gun laws from being weakened, and to pass ones where they don't exist. Our number one priority is to get illegal guns off our streets by:

1. Strengthening law enforcement tools to crack down on corrupt gun dealers.
2. Extending Brady background checks to all gun sales.
3. Stopping large-volume gun sales that supply gun traffickers.

Legislatively, we are also working toward renewing the Assault Weapons Ban; legislating product safety standards for gun manufacturers; and thwarting the plans of the NRA to weaken our nation's and our state's gun laws.

In addition to our work on gun laws, all Brady programs and departments are working to educate and advocate various constituencies on the dangers of gun violence. Read more about our specific programs and department.

Q. Is Brady a "gun ban" organization? Are you really just trying to make all guns illegal in America?

Brady believes that a safer America can be achieved without banning guns. Our stand is simple. We believe that law-abiding citizens should be able to buy and keep firearms. And we believe there are sensible gun laws that we can and should insist upon when it comes to gun ownership.

First and foremost, we should try to keep guns out of the hands of those who should not have them, including criminals and children.

Second, there are certain classes of weapons that should be out of bounds for private ownership. They include Saturday-night specials, which are used almost exclusively for crime, military-style assault weapons like Uzis and AK-47s, and .50-caliber sniper rifles, which serve no ordinary sporting purpose.

Third, we believe that those who do own guns ought to be held to the highest standards of safety. They should be well trained in the use of their weapons and they should be required to keep weapons secure, so that neither innocent children nor prohibited persons can get a hold of them.

Q. Why is my financial support of Brady so important?

Because sensible gun laws save lives. In working to create a safer America, Brady offers a positive, effective alternative to the extremist agenda of the National Rifle Association (NRA), which blatantly promotes a culture of violence that puts Americans at risk.

We know that we don't have to outspend the NRA, one of the most well-funded and, therefore, most powerful lobby groups in Washington. Poll after poll indicate that the majority of Americans support sensible gun laws that keep guns out of the hands of criminals and children. Therefore, we can and do effectively use contributions from concerned individuals like yourself to pass positive, life-saving laws in Congress and in the states to reduce gun violence in America.

Q. Are donations to Brady tax-deductible?

The Brady Campaign, and it network of Million Mom March Chapters, are political organizations dedicated to passing sensible gun control legislation, so contributions to the Campaign or the Chapters are not tax deductible either as charitable contributions or business expenses.

Donations to the Brady Center, which is a 501(c)3 educational organization, are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Commit to a safer America! Please consider a generous contribution to the Brady Campaign or Brady Center today.

Q. I would like to read your most recent Annual Report.

Great! Thank you for your interest. Click here to see our Annual Report.

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