Should Congress mandate background checks for all gun sales?
Bill Summary
H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, would require a background check for all firearms sales. Under current law, federal background check laws only apply to Federal Firearm Licensees (FFLs); background checks are not required for sales between individual gun owners. H.R. 8 would mandate that gun sales between individuals are authenticated by FFLs, who are required to run background checks on all parties involved in the sale.
Sponsor: Rep. Mike Thompson (Democrat, California, District 5) This bill has 128 Democratic and 3 Republican cosponsors.
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Opponents say
• "Background checks don’t stop criminals from stealing firearms, getting them on the black market, or getting them from straw purchasers. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), 77 percent of criminals in state prison for firearm crimes get firearms through theft, on the black market, from a drug dealer, or family members and friends, while less than one percent get firearms from dealers or non-dealers at gun shows."
Source: The National Rifle Association
• "The idea is unconstitutional. It requires the establishment of a de facto federal gun registry — long a no-no in American politics… By explicit design, the federal government is prohibited from acting outside of the limited set of powers that the Constitution has granted to it. None of those powers permit it to superintend private firearms transactions that take place between two residents of a single state." Source: The National Review
• "The idea is unconstitutional. It requires the establishment of a de facto federal gun registry — long a no-no in American politics… By explicit design, the federal government is prohibited from acting outside of the limited set of powers that the Constitution has granted to it. None of those powers permit it to superintend private firearms transactions that take place between two residents of a single state." Source: The National Review
Proponents say
• "Time and time again, we have seen that the American people want universal background checks public polling shows that the majority of people, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, support this. We began our work to combat the scourge of gun violence eight years ago after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School and will not stop until we deliver for the American people."
Source: Rep. Mike Thompson (Democrat, California, District 5)
• "It has been two years since we stood together in the House chamber and voted to pass this common-sense bill. I voted ‘Yes’ for my son, Jordan Davis, and all the lives lost to gun violence. I promised I would take that sense of protection, that love a mother has for her son, and use it for my community. That I would dedicate my life to families like mine in Marietta, Georgia, who are terrified that they will send their kids to school and never see them come home. Terrified that they will one day be me. Today, we once again take a historic step to protect our children, to protect our communities, and to save American lives." Source: Rep. Lucy McBath/a> (Democrat, Georgia, District 6)
• "It has been two years since we stood together in the House chamber and voted to pass this common-sense bill. I voted ‘Yes’ for my son, Jordan Davis, and all the lives lost to gun violence. I promised I would take that sense of protection, that love a mother has for her son, and use it for my community. That I would dedicate my life to families like mine in Marietta, Georgia, who are terrified that they will send their kids to school and never see them come home. Terrified that they will one day be me. Today, we once again take a historic step to protect our children, to protect our communities, and to save American lives." Source: Rep. Lucy McBath/a> (Democrat, Georgia, District 6)
