Should Congress lengthen background checks on gun sales from 3 to 10 days?

Crime and Law Enforcement (e.g., Gun Laws)
Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019 (H.R. 1112)
This bill has Passed the House of Representatives
Bill Summary

Should Congress lengthen background checks on gun sales from 3 to 10 days? This bill would expand the time that the FBI has to conduct background checks on sales of guns from three days to 10 days. Currently, if a prospective gun purchaser does not pass a background check immediately, the FBI has three days to conduct a background check on them. These checks seek to determine whether there is any reason to deny the prospective purchaser the right to buy the gun: for example, if the customer has a certain criminal history. If the FBI cannot find such a reason within the three days, the purchase proceeds. By lengthening the time the FBI has to find this information to 10 days, sponsors of the bill intend to close what is sometimes known as the “Charleston loophole,” wherein Dylann Roof was able to legally purchase the gun used in the 2015 Charleston, South Carolina massacre after the FBI failed to find reason to deny the purchase within 3 days. Sponsor: Rep. James Clyburn (Democrat South Carolina, District 6)
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Opponents say

• “Gun rights supporters have spent the last 30 years successfully working to remove may-issue licensing schemes that empower those in government to indulge their political biases and general prejudices to control the exercise of a constitutional right. Gun owners and civil liberties supporters across the political spectrum must recognize H.R. 1112 for what it is, a measure that would subject the exercise of a constitutional right to the unfettered discretion of federal bureaucrats.” - National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action
• “This bill turns law abiding citizens into criminals and it’s one more step towards federalized gun registration and ultimately gun confiscation. That’s been the intention of many of the people bringing this bill for a long time. They want true gun control and this is the first step and surely not the last.” - Rep. Steve Scalise [R LA-1]

Proponents say

• “H.R. 1112 is a sensible and necessary approach to address this issue of [gun violence]...There has long been bipartisan support for the requirement in current law that licensed gun dealers conduct background checks on prospective purchasers. I would hope that extending the period for such ‘default proceed’ situations—to ensure that we do not make a tragic mistake—would also enjoy bipartisan support in the Committee today.” - Rep. Jerrold Nadler [D NY-10]
• “Background checks can save lives, and I’m proud to support a bill that ensures dangerous people don’t end up with deadly weapons when they shouldn’t be allowed to. This common sense bipartisan bill gives law enforcement the time necessary for them to do their job. The tragedy at Mother Emanuel should never have happened, and hopefully by promoting common sense steps like closing the Charleston loophole we can prevent it from ever happening again.” - Rep. John Cunningham [D SC-1]
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