Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and more sign Billboard's letter to Congress on gun violence
Celebrities are letting Congress know that they won't stand for gun violence through an open letter by Billboard magazine.
Nearly 200 stars, including two Beatles, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Barbra Streisand, Billy Joel, Lin-Manuel Miranda and more, signed an open letter by Billboard magazine to Congress.
The letter was titled "STOP GUN VIOLENCE NOW" and said:
"The one thing that connects the recent tragedies in Orlando is that it is far too easy for dangerous people to get their hands on guns. We call on Congress to do more to prevent the gun violence that kills more than 90 Americans every day and injures hundreds more, including:
- Require a background check for every gun sale
- Block suspected terrorists from buying guns."
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The letter asked Congress to "close the deadly loopholes," and was co-signed by more than 180 celebrities and music industry executives.
In a statement, Billboard said that its editors reached out to artists and asked for their support and signatures; Joan Jett and Lady Gaga co-signed within minutes. Then, over the next few days, signatures began to pour in from more of the industry's movers and shakers, including Selena Gomez, a friend of Christina Grimmie's, the "Voice" star who was recently shot to death.