National News
Lawmakers reintroduce background checks for gun sales
March 05, 2015 posted by Steve Brownstein
Lawmakers will introduce new gun safety legislation Tuesday expanding background checks to prevent criminals and people who are mentally ill from buying guns.
Most gun shops are already required to conduct background checks, but the rules don’t apply to firearm sales made online and at gun shows.
The Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act would close this loophole and expand background checks to all gun sales.
“This bill is anti-criminal, and will help keep spouses, kids and communities safe by preventing dangerous people from getting guns,” said Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), who will introduce the legislation.
But the gun safety legislation comes in stark contrast to recent Republican bills that would expand concealed carry laws across the country and allow hunters to use armor-piercing ammunition.
Gun rights groups are gearing up for a major concealed carry push.
The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, introduced last month by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the second-ranking Republican in the upper chamber, would allow gun owners who have a concealed carry permit in their home state to bring their firearms to any other state with concealed-carry laws.
Another Republican bill would block controversial ammunition regulations from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The ATF proposed last week to prohibit gun companies from manufacturing and selling certain armor-piercing ammunition for AR-15 rifles.
Republicans responded by introducing the Protecting Second Amendment Rights Act, which would roll back the ATF’s power to regulation ammunition.
Meanwhile, Democrats and gun control groups are not giving up the fight over stronger background checks.
“There is no doubt expanded background checks save lives," said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
“It is time for Congress to finish the job and expand Brady background checks to the thousands of gun sales that happen every day online and at gun shows."
The background check legislation is also backed by Reps. Peter King (R-N.Y.), Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.), Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.) and Bob Dold (R-Ill.).
The lawmakers suggested the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act could be introduced as early as Tuesday.
The background check legislation would not impede on hunters’ Second Amendment rights, Thompson emphasized.
“It’s also pro-Second Amendment,” he said. “I’m a hunter and a gun owner. I support the Second Amendment. If this bill undermined the rights of gun owners, my name wouldn’t be on it."
