Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) on Monday became the first Republican U.S. Senator to earn the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence's Abraham Lincoln Award, given to officials who have taken a strong position against gun violence.
Kirk was recognized primarily for legislation he introduced in July with fellow Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) that would make gun trafficking a federal crime and toughen background checks.
“Sen. Kirk was there for us when we needed him most, and crossed party lines to support universal background checks," Colleen Daley, the council's executive director, said. "His courage and leadership truly symbolize the purpose of the Lincoln Award. As much as we fight at the local level for common sense gun laws, the fact remains that more than 60 percent of all crime guns in Chicago are illegally trafficked from states with weaker gun laws, like Indiana and Mississippi. The senator’s support on this issue is critical to public safety, and we are incredibly grateful to him.”
Previous winners of the award include Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL).
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