Portland Mayor: 'We need to get high capacity ammunition clips off of our streets'

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Updated: 1/14 10:52 amPORTLAND, Ore. -- Portland Mayor Charles Hales is demanding action from the U.S. capital to end gun violence."We need to get military assault weapons off of our streets," said Hales in a news conference Monday. "We need to get high capacity ammunition clips off of our streets. We need to make gun trafficking a federal crime."He also called for "a law in this nation that requires that every gun buyer have a criminal background check."Oregon is one of only seven states that requires background checks for firearm sales at gun shows, according to the Brady Law Campaign Scorecard. Washington does not. "Background checks are the only systematic way to stop felons, domestic abusers and other dangerous people from buying firearms," according to a statement from the mayor's office issued after Monday's press conference. "But federal law only requires background checks for gun sales at  licensed dealers. Almost 6.5 million guns are sold each year in the U.S. by unlicensed 'private sellers,' including online and at gun shows. That means that between 40 percent and 50 percent of gun sales may take place with no background check for the buyer."The mayor's office statement cites Republican pollster Frank Luntz, who they say found that "82 percent of gun owners support criminal background checks on all gun sales."Hales' press conference comes at the heels of a national debate on guns following several mass shootings, including one at a shopping mall in Oregon. This, Hales said Monday, made it "a good time to focus on this question of gun violence -- and what as we as a community and as a society can do about it."Gun violence reportedly kills 33 Americans every day. Hales is part of a group called "Mayors Against Illegal Guns." Since the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., that group reportedly has added more than 100 mayors to its "national bipartisan coalition to end gun violence," according to the mayor's office statement. "It's also grown to more than one million supporters."Hales calls his plan "common sense changes" that fit within the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment rights, "even with the general understanding that private citizens are going to own guns," Hales said.The Second Amendment, drafted in 1791, allows for the creation of "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state" wherein "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."Portland leaders also released a new television ad by "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" -- featuring family members of gun violence victims. The ad is expected to air in the Portland market and can be seen at www.DemandAPlan.org. For Hales, "I want the Congress and the Legislature to take up this subject and not avoid it," he said Monday. "That's what I'm asking for."Related resources:Ad calling on Congress to  support "sensible gun laws"Watch the varying viewpoints in this debate:Video ID: 3884586KOIN Local 6 reports on a Washington lawmaker\'s plans to bring armed teachers into local schools.', 300)">Rep: Gun-free zones allow 'most vulnerable' to be slaughteredVideo ID: 3871666KOIN Local 6 reports on a move by Oregon Rep. Dennis Richardson, a Republican gaining favor for his idea in schools after Connecticut\'s massive elementary school shooting.', 300)">Ore. lawmaker calls for gun-trained educators:Previous Portland mayor considers fake-gun ban: 

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