SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne is among hundreds of law enforcement leaders nationwide who urged Congress Tuesday to abolish legislation that they contend hampers their efforts to fight illegal gun trafficking.

In a letter sent Tuesday to lawmakers in Washington, D.C., Lansdowne joined 32 police organizations and about 200 individual law enforcement leaders in calling for the repeal of the so-called "Tiahrt Amendment."

The legislation is named after Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., who drafted it for the firearms lobby, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

The law enforcement contingent, which includes 23 California police chiefs and the state's Police Chiefs Association, argues that the amendment keeps local governments from accessing data that can help trace illicit gun sales.

The issue faces imminent action by the House Appropriations Committee, which is scheduled to take it up on Monday.

Last week, Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., announced that she plans to strip the provision from the Senate's bill funding the Department of Justice.

In addition to Lansdowne, the California officials signing the letter include Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca, Chief Heather Fong of San Francisco and the police chiefs of Long Beach, Grover Beach, San Jose, Sonoma, Fresno, Azusa, Stockton, Emeryville, Monrovia, Richmond, Ventura, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, Oakland, Santa Ana, South Pasadena, Sebastopol and Vacaville.

Among the organizations joining the cause are the International Association of Chiefs of Police, International Brotherhood of Police Officers, Major Cities Chiefs Association, Police Executive Research Forum, Police Foundation, Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, National Black Police Association, National Latino Peace Officers Association, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and the School Safety Advocacy Council.

Twenty state chiefs' organizations and one regional chiefs' organization signed on to the recommendation, as well.

Additionally, a coalition of 225 mayors has pressed for the repeal of the legislation, and the group is airing television commercials and funding billboards, according to the Brady Campaign.

The move "should be an easy decision for Congress," said Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign. "As a former mayor, I know how important it is in developing proactive policing strategies to have as much information as possible on the sources and distribution channels for illegal guns."