Mayor Daley returned from vacation in the British Virgin Islands, Monday, to talk about an old familiar theme: gun violence.
"It's not just a Chicago problem, but an American problem," the outgoing mayor said at a press conference to support a federal gun law that would require background checks for anyone looking to own a gun.
To highlight the point that it's a national issue, many family members of gun victims are here - at least 30 - including one from VA Tech shooting attended the mayor's first . The parents of police officer Thomas Wortham IV, who was gunned down in the line of duty, also attended the conference.
Gun violence has long been a pet issue of Daley's for much of his administration. His impending departure hasn't dampened his enthusiasm for applying stricter gun laws.
"Why shouldn't everybody be outraged," he said. "This is your brother and sister getting killed ..."
Monday he lambasted the National Rifle Association for their "hard at work in Springfield" because of a vote scheduled next week for a bill that would Illinois residents to carry concealed weapons.
Daley is in favor of eliminating guns from cities and voiced frustration last year when the United States Supreme Court overturned the city's decades old ban on handguns.
The mayor is still fighting.
"We ought debt of gratitude to Mayor Daley for his support of common sense gun laws," said congressman Mike Quigley, who attended the conference.
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As a visual aid for the press conference, aides wheeled in a big travelling billboard from the FixGunChecks.org campaign that says "34 Americans are Murdered with Guns Everyday."
