Background Check Expansion Act

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

You know, our friends on the other side of the aisle are deadly wrong. That is the tragedy of their argument, because the Second Amendment does not prohibit regulation. It never did. And our Founding Fathers regulated guns as early as the beginning of this Nation.

And so I rise in support of H.R. 8, and indicate while the COVID-19 pandemic dominated news headlines in 2020, the number of shootings surged in many communities across America.

Our public health and emergency resources have been straining to recover from the coronavirus, and budgets are crunched nationwide, and, as well, gun violence is rising. It is important to note because approximately 80 percent of firearms used for criminal purposes are obtained without a background check.

We must strengthen our firearms background checks and close dangerous gaps, such as the online sale and gun show loopholes.

In the data that we were able to secure, there was nearly one mass shooting per day in the United States: 355 mass shootings in 2018. We realize that since December 2012 there have been at least 1,518 mass shootings with at least 1,715 people killed.

Each day an average of 92 Americans are victims of gun violence, resulting in more than 33,000 deaths. And I wonder why our friends could not feel the pain of the loss of guns being transferred illegally or improperly?

I was here for Columbine. That happened on April 20, 1999. High school students losing their lives. I was here when babies were killed in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 12, 2012. I was here in the United States Congress each moment we tried to pass sensible gun legislation like H.R. 8.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson for his leadership and Chairman Nadler.

On February 14, 2018 I was here for Parkland and looked at these photographs. And as well I was here on May 18 when in San Jose, Texas, people died. It is time to pass H.R. 8. Stop seeing our children die.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8, the ``Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021'' and H.R. 1446, the ``Enhanced Background Check Act of 2021,'' which would make it illegal for any person who is not a licensed firearm importer, manufacturer, or dealer to transfer a firearm to any other person who is not so licensed without a background check.

A 2013 study found that approximately 80 percent of all firearms acquired for criminal purposes were obtained from sources who were not required to run a background check, and that 96 percent of inmates who were not prohibited from possessing a firearm at the time they committed their crime obtained their gun this way.

This loophole exists largely because unlicensed sellers need not conduct any background check under current law, even if the seller sells a large number of guns.

Under H.R. 8, the ``Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021,'' individuals seeking to transfer a firearm under this measure would be required to visit a licensed firearms dealer to run the necessary background check before the transfer could be finalized.

H.R. 8 is intended to provide an accurate and speedy manner to ensure firearms do not end up in the wrong hands.

An internal assessment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) demonstrated that NICS background checks are approximately 99.3 percent to 99.8 percent accurate, and in 90 percent of cases, are processed within 90 seconds.

I am particularly pleased that the rule reported by Rules Committee makes in order Jackson Lee Amendment No. 12 to H.R. 8, which makes clear that a gun owner who realizes that he or she is at risk of suicide may transfer the gun to someone else, if the risk is imminent, without a background check to prevent self-harm.

The Jackson Lee Amendment will help ensure that no person who is experiencing a suicidal crisis will feel compelled to retain their gun when it would be better for them to temporarily transfer it to someone else.

Mr. Speaker, the American people are demanding effective action to reduce, if not prevent altogether, the countless mass shootings and gun violence in our country that continue to claim so many innocent lives.

Newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention found firearm-related deaths rose for the second-straight year in 2016, largely due to spikes in gun violence.

In 2016, the new CDC report on preliminary mortality data shows that there were more than 38,000 gun-related deaths in the U.S.--4,000 more than 2015.

An Associated Press analysis of FBI data shows there were about 11,000 gun-related homicides in 2016, up from 9,600 in 2015.

Congress must act to keep our country safe through gun safety and violence deterrence.

There is nearly one mass shooting per day in the United States--355 mass shootings in 2018.

In December 2012, a gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and killed 20 children, 6 adults, and himself.

Since December 2012, there have been at least 1,518 mass shootings, with at least 1,715 people killed and 6,089 wounded.

On the night of October 1, 2017, a gunman opened fire on a large crowd of concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip, leaving 58 people dead and 527 injured.

And on November 5, 2017, a mass shooting occurred at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, where the gunman, 26-year- old Devin Patrick Kelley, killed 26 and injured 20 others.

Every day, on average, 92 Americans are victims of gun violence, resulting in more than 33,000 deaths annually.

States with higher gun ownership rates have higher gun murder rates-- as much as 114 percent higher than other States.

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looking at 30 years of homicide data, found that for every 1 percent increase in a State's gun ownership rate, there is a nearly 1 percent increase in its firearm homicide rate.

Gun death rates are generally lower in States with restrictions such as safe storage requirements or assault weapons bans.

Mass shootings stopped by armed civilians in the past 33 years: 0.

Because more than 75 percent of the weapons used in mass shootings between 1982 and 2012 were obtained legally, stronger legislation is needed to prevent guns from getting into the wrong hands.

Mr. Speaker, enhancing the gun transfer background check system has consistently garnered broad public support, as high as 92 percent, because the American people know that the status quo is simply intolerable and action must be taken to reduce gun violence by keeping dangerous persons from obtaining deadly weapons.

That begins with passing H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021,'' and H.R. 1446, the ``Enhanced Background Check Act of 2021,'' and I urge all members to join me in voting for its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8, the ``Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021,'' and urge its quick adoption.

While the COVID-19 pandemic dominated news headlines in 2020, the number of shootings surged in many communities across America.

Our public health and emergency resources have been straining to respond to the coronavirus crisis. Budgets are being crunched nationwide. Across the country, cities and states are struggling to find the resources to simultaneously address the pandemic and rising rates of gun violence.

We must take the steps that we know will make us safer.

Because approximately 80 percent of firearms used for criminal purposes are obtained without a background check, we must strengthen our firearms background check system and close dangerous gaps, such as the online sale and gun show loopholes.

Reducing gun violence starts with making sure that individuals who may not lawfully possess guns do not get their hands on them.

Our citizens overwhelmingly support this measure, and it is critical we pass it today and enact it into law.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.

As indicated, the Jackson Lee amendment is a simple, important, and straightforward amendment, and it is, frankly, to save lives.

Specifically, the amendment makes clear that a gun owner who realizes that he or she is at risk of suicide may transfer the gun to someone else if the risk is imminent, without a background check, to prevent self-harm.

This amendment will help ensure that no person who is experiencing a suicidal crisis will feel compelled to retain their gun when it would be better for them to temporarily transfer it to someone else.

Contrary to what my friends on the other side have said, H.R. 8 does already exempt from the requirement of a background check ``a temporary transfer that is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, including harm to self, family, household members, or others, if the possession by the transferee lasts only as long as immediately necessary to prevent the imminent death or great bodily harm, including the harm of domestic violence, dating partner violence, sexual assault, stalking, and domestic abuse.''

This amendment, however, clarifies that this last option is available to someone who is at risk for suicide.

I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment to protect those who may be a danger to themselves.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Jackson Lee Amendment No. 9 included in the Chairman En Bloc Amendment to H.R. 8, the ``Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021,'' which would require a background check on every gun sale or transfer with limited exceptions, such as gifts to family members and transfers for hunting, target shooting, and self- defense.

The Jackson Lee Amendment No. 9 makes a simple common-sense improvement to the bill.

Specifically, the amendment makes clear that a gun owner who realizes that he or she is at risk of suicide may transfer the gun to someone else, if the risk is imminent, without a background check to prevent self-harm.

This amendment will help ensure that no person who is experiencing a suicidal crisis will feel compelled to retain their gun when it would be better for them to temporarily transfer it to someone else.

H.R. 8 already exempts from the requirement of a background check ``a temporary transfer that is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, including harm to self, family, household members, or others, if the possession by the transferee lasts only as long as immediately necessary to prevent the imminent death or great bodily harm, including the harm of domestic violence, dating partner violence, sexual assault, stalking, and domestic abuse.''

A gun owner who realizes that they are at risk of suicide would have several options under this bill.

They may loan the gun to a family member pursuant to the family member exception.

They may ask a gun dealer to store the gun temporarily.

And if the risk is imminent, they may transfer it to someone else, pursuant to this exception.

This amendment clarifies that this last option is available to someone who is at risk for suicide.

As Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, I urge all members to join me in supporting Jackson Lee Amendment No. 9 by voting for the En Bloc Amendment to H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8 is a strong bill to expand the federal firearms background check requirement as our citizens have demanded. To make the bill even stronger, I offer an amendment that will help save even more lives.

My amendment would make clear that a gun owner who realizes that he or she is at risk of suicide may transfer the gun to someone else, without a background check--if the risk is imminent to prevent self- harm.

The largest number of gun deaths each year are suicides. Studies have shown that the prevalence of suicide in the United States is directly linked to the easy availability of guns.

Roughly sixty percent of gun deaths are suicides. Tragically, an average of 63 people, die by gun suicide every day in the U.S.

The notion that suicides are inevitable, that people will just find another way, is wrong.

Suicide attempts are often impulsive acts, and forty-eight percent of people harm themselves within 10 minutes of deciding to attempt suicide. Seventy-one percent do so within one hour.

But those who reach for a gun during suicidal crises rarely have a second chance. Eighty-four percent of suicide attempts with a firearm are fatal. Think about this sad fact.

Temporarily reducing access to guns significantly increases the likelihood of surviving a suicide attempt.

That is why I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the bloc of amendments that includes my proposed revision to H.R. 8.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson), the chairman of our task force.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Garcia), a member of the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crist).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Lamb).

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as has been said over and over again on the floor of the House, H.R. 8 provides for the legal access to guns. It does not take away guns from any American.

In addition, the Second Amendment is truly preserved with H.R. 8, and it is in compliance with the law which allows the regulation of guns, even with the Second Amendment.

We ask our colleagues to support H.R. 8 and the en bloc amendments included therein.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 188, I call up the bill (H.R. 8) to require a background check for every firearm sale, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 8.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, gun violence impacts all of our communities, and no place is immune from its reach, including our homes, our streets, our schools, and even our places of worship. That is why we must take swift and decisive action to reduce the daily toll of gun violence that afflicts our Nation. H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 is sensible and effective legislation to do just that.

Under current law, gun sales conducted by licensed firearms dealers may only be completed if the buyers clear background checks. This bill would simply extend that requirement, with limited exceptions, to guns transferred by unlicensed individuals as well. That simple change to close a gaping loophole in the law is one of the most effective steps we can take to address the scourge of gun violence in this country.

According to one study, 22 percent of gun owners in the U.S. acquired their most recent firearm without a background check. We do not know if they were felons, fugitives, domestic abusers, or otherwise prohibited under the law from possessing firearms. A huge volume of guns was sold with no questions asked. It is time to close this dangerous loophole.

There is no reason to continue to make it easy for people who are legally prohibited from possessing firearms to acquire them. The evidence clearly shows that background checks work and significantly curb gun violence. One study found that a Connecticut law requiring background checks was associated with a 40 percent decline in gun homicides and a 15 percent drop in suicides. On the other hand, when Missouri repealed its background check law, the State's gun homicides increased by 23 percent and suicides increased by 16 percent.

Gun violence of this magnitude is a distinctly American problem. A recent study in the American Journal of Medicine found that compared to 29 other high-income countries, the gun-related murder rate in the United States is 25 times higher. Even when you adjust for population differences, Americans are disproportionately killed by gun violence. This is a disparity that we can remedy by passing this bill.

With the exception of certain limited transfers, such as gifts to family members and transfers for hunting, target shooting, and self- defense, H.R. 8 would extend the current Federal background check requirement--which applies now only to licensed gun dealers--and would require virtually all transactions to undergo a background check to help ensure that firearms do not end up in the wrong hands.

I thank Representative Mike Thompson of California for drafting this important legislation and for being a champion of gun violence prevention in Congress.

Simply put, H.R. 8 will save lives. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and to support safer streets, safer schools, and safer communities.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished majority leader of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson), the sponsor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that 160 families every day buy guns. All this bill does is to say that people who obtain guns from unlicensed dealers, as well as licensed dealers, must be subject to the background check, and that will save a heck of a lot of lives.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Swalwell).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Jayapal).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Mrs. Trahan).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly).

Mr. Speaker, how much time remains?

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Levin).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Bowman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. Speaker, may I ask how much time remains.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Garcia).

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, since the House passed H.R. 8 more than 2 years ago, an estimated 80,000 people have lost their lives to gun violence. We have had too many moments of silence and too many expressions of sympathy. Too many families are grieving the loss of a loved one.

Expanding background checks is overwhelmingly supported by the American public because they know that it will make a meaningful difference in reducing gun violence and saving lives. It is time to enact this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, that is correct.

Amendments En Bloc Offered by Mr. Nadler of New York

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 188, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 45 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, this en bloc amendment includes several amendments that strengthen the bill and that thoughtfully modify it to account for practical considerations surrounding the use and misuse of firearms.

Among this group are a provision that clarifies the exchange of firearms between family members, a measure to protect more expansive State firearm laws, an amendment that would ensure ATF background check forms are available in Spanish, and a proposal that would allow for temporary transfers for pest control.

Representative Jackson Lee's amendment concerning suicide is particularly important as it highlights the tragic consequences that access to firearms can have on those who intend to harm themselves.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the en bloc amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam President, we are nearing the end of the session, when we will go back to our homes for the evening, but when the families of 18 children and 4 great educators go home tonight, their homes will never be the same again.

There are no words in a place filled with words during today and every day in this place when we are in session. There are no words today to capture the heartbreak, the gut-wrenching grief and pain that those families will feel and that I remember feeling almost 10 years ago when we stood in the space just outside the firehouse in Sandy Hook, as parents learned that their 20 children would not be coming home that night.

The same bottomless grief is hitting the families in Texas, in Uvalde, where they have lost children. And there are no words also to capture the deep, abiding pain that will last forever. That pain will be with them--a hole in their hearts, a place at their tables, a room in their houses that never will be filled again, and hugs that they will never feel, cheeks that will never be kissed.

This Nation, like their families, is torn apart by violence-- needless, senseless gun violence--every day in America. And the mystery is why the greatest Nation on Earth continues to tolerate it. It is no longer surprising or stunning. It is no longer unfathomable or unforeseeable.

It is incomprehensible that this great Nation is blocked by Members of this body from taking action that can forestall and prevent it. Why, the outrage that we feel, the grief that pervades America on these occasions has not caused action. And this body has been complicit by its inaction. In fact, it isn't this body. It is Members of this body, principally on the other side of the aisle. Let's be blunt. I will never forget hearing from that gallery those words: ``Shame. Shame on you,'' when we failed to adopt commonsense measures--a background check proposal, even though we had 55 votes. I can still hear those words. ``Shame.''

And had we acted, who knows what tragedy could have been averted? We don't know and we can't tell and we never will be able to fathom whether

specific measures would have prevented specific tragedy. Charleston or San Bernardino, Pulse or Las Vegas, Parkland or Santa Fe, or Pittsburgh or El Paso or Dayton or Boulder or Indianapolis or Oxford or Buffalo or Uvalde--we will never know because the false reason to object is this measure wouldn't have prevented that shooting.

But that is not the way to approach gun violence reform, because we know there is no panacea; there is no single measure. What we know is that stopping gun violence requires that we act with these measures and that commonsense, sensible steps can prevent a senseless, needless violence.

There is no panacea, but there are actions we can take. We are not without agency.

Now, we need to be very blunt and recognize that opposition to these measures is bankrolled and emboldened and enabled by the gun lobby's dark money, by its threats and intimidation, by its encouragement.

And until my colleagues have the courage to stand up to that gun lobby, they will continue in its thrall and its grip, and they will continue to be complicit.

And some on our side, some who have demonstrated the courage to stand up and speak out, have shown that we have the power to take action.

We lack facts about the shooter and about the killing, all the circumstances in Uvalde, but we know enough to say that those families and that community will be torn apart. It will never be the same. They will never be whole again because they have lost something precious, and there will always be that hole in their hearts.

Already some of our Republican colleagues are saying we are politicizing the issue, but they are the ones who, for decades, have tied themselves to the NRA's fanatical devotion to unrestricted, unyielding firearms ownership for political purposes at the expense of real lives.

Tying themselves to firearms ownership is unnecessary for law-abiding citizens to own firearms. There are commonsense actions we can take to separate dangerous killers from firearms that are absolutely consistent with the Second Amendment, as judged by the Supreme Court, and absolutely consistent with gun ownership by law-abiding people.

We know these actions won't save everyone, but there can be no doubt that each of them will save some lives: expanding background checks and closing glaring loopholes in our background check system; getting untraceable ghost guns and military-style assault weapons off our streets; protecting domestic violence survivors from gun violence; keeping guns out of the hands of domestic terrorists and violent extremists and individuals who are dangerous to themselves or others, red flag statutes; preventing kids from accidentally and unintentionally shooting themselves with unsecured firearms, Ethan's Law for safe storage; investing in community violence intervention programs--we know they work in Hartford, New Haven, all around the State of Connecticut; reducing the number of firearm suicides--more than half of all gun deaths are suicides; red flag statutes, separating firearms from people who are dangerous to themselves as well as others.

We need to do all these things and more. We need to do them right now because every day that passes without action means more of the same. Not surprising, not stunning--more of the same.

Those measures are written, they are fully drafted, vetted for their constitutionality. My subcommittee on the Constitution has had hearings on them, many of them: S. 529, the Background Check Expansion Act; S. 591, the Background Check Completion Act; S. 1558, the Untraceable Firearms Act to stop ghost guns; S. 736, the Assault Weapons Ban; S. 527, the Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act; S. 2169, the Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act, a hearing just last week on it; S. 2090, the Disarm Hate Act; S. 4278, the Age 21 Act; S. 190, Ethan's Law; S. 2982, the Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act; S. 1819, the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act--the red flag statutes.

Let us do one of them. Let us vote to make one of them law. That is our job: to vote. It is how we change this gut-wrenching, heartbreaking status quo, and it is how voters know where each of us stand when push comes to shove.

So we have no words, but words will mean nothing without action. We have created a political movement. It is a movement that is growing as young people say: Enough is enough, as the hand wringing and the tears are translated into action at the grassroots level, action by State legislatures. Almost 20 states now have red flag statutes in the wake of Parkland. And as communities and States show that they will no longer tolerate the hypocrisy of thoughts and prayers without action, all of us who have advocated for years--indeed, for decades--that this body must act, we cannot lose courage or heart. We cannot lose the hope, and we must match our thoughts and prayers with real action.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. Speaker, every day 30 people are killed by someone using a gun. That number jumps to 100 if you factor in accidents and suicides involving guns. The steady stream of gun violence devastates families, communities, and schools.

Gun violence costs our country $280 billion every year. This status quo is not okay.

Our constituents know it, and they support H.R. 8 overwhelmingly.

The Special Order last night on H.R. 8 was another low point for decorum in the House. To be generous, it was an embarrassing display and a complete misrepresentation of the facts.

Viewers were told that the bill would create a Federal gun registry. Wrong. Read page 5, line 18. H.R. 8 prohibits any registry.

They were told you can't give a gun to a family member. Wrong. Read page 3, line 7. You can.

They were told that you can't transfer a gun if someone was suicidal or needed it for protection to address a self-defense situation. Wrong. Read page 3, line 21. You can.

They were told that you can't lend a gun to a friend to go hunting. Wrong. Read page 4, line 16. You can.

What the bill does do is close the private gun sale loophole, which has made it easy for felons and other prohibited purchasers to buy a gun online, at gun shows, or in person-to-person sales.

We know universal background checks work. Every day they stop some 160 felons and some 50 domestic abusers from buying a gun. Every day.

But without universal background checks, these people can take their business elsewhere, to someone without a Federal firearms license and buy the same gun.

I have personally filled out the 4473 form required to buy a gun from a licensed dealer. I have done it many times. It is something that every responsible gun owner should be able to live with. Heck, they should welcome it because it helps stop dangerous individuals from getting a gun.

In 90 percent of the cases, background checks are completed within minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that these letters that I have from dozens of gun violence prevention groups, healthcare workers, law enforcement, and others be included in the Record.

March 5, 2021.

Hon. Chuck Schumer,

Majority Leader, U.S. Senate,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Nancy Pelosi,

Speaker, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Mitch McConnell,

Minority Leader, U.S. Senate,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Kevin McCarthy,

Republican Leader, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Speaker

Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy: We write to you in support of

H.R. 8/S. 529 the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and H.R.

1446/S. 591 the Enhanced Background Checks Act. As gun

owners, we understand that responsible gun ownership starts

with background check. Loopholes in federal law have

perpetuated the gun violence crisis in our country, including

those in our background checks system. Congress must enact

meaningful legislation to reduce gun violence. The Bipartisan

Background Checks Act would close one such loophole by

ensuring that a background check happens on every firearms

sale.

Since 1993, the National Instant Criminal Background Check

System (NICS) has conducted firearm background checks on gun

purchasers. Federally licensed dealers must run a check

through NICS to determine whether a potential buyer is

prohibited from purchasing firearms. If information in NICS

shows that a person is indeed prohibited, the dealer must

deny the sale.

However, no background check is required for sales at gun

shows, through online marketplaces, or between private

individuals. Individuals who would otherwise be prohibited

from purchasing or possessing a gun can easily buy guns

through such unregulated sales. And the frequency of these

unregulated sales is growing: recent studies indicate that

approximately 22 percent of firearms are purchased without a

background check, up to 80% of firearms used in crimes are

obtained without a background check.

H.R. 8/S.B. 529 the Bipartisan Background Checks Act/

Background Check Expansion Act would require a background

check on every sale, ensuring that people prohibited from

purchasing firearms cannot exploit loopholes and purchase

guns through an unregulated sale at a gun show, online, or

from an unlicensed private seller. In addition, individuals

would no longer be able to cross state lines solely to

purchase a firearm in a state with less stringent background

checks. Closing these background check loopholes is critical

to reducing gun violence throughout the United States.

Additionally, H.R. 1446/S. 591 the Enhanced Background

Checks Act/Background Check Completion Act would provide the

FBI more time to complete background checks and ensure that

people prohibited from possessing firearms are not able to

obtain them by default because of an incomplete background

check. This deadly loophole in existing law was exploited by

a white supremacist who killed nine people at the Mother

Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

As responsible gun owners, we urge you to consider this

legislation which would help keep our communities safe. Our

support for universal background checks stems from our desire

to protect the Second Amendment rights of law abiding

citizens while maintaining checks and balances to keep

communities safe.

We urge you to pass H.R. 8/S. 529 the Bipartisan Background

Checks Act/Background Check Expansion Act and H.R. 1446/S.

591 the Enhanced Background Checks Act/Background Check

Completion Act, as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Giffords Gun Owners for Safety.

On this bill we have coauthors who are Democrats and Republicans, cops, hunters, gun owners, district attorneys, a former FBI agent, and veterans, who have served in combat and put their lives on the line to protect our Second Amendment.

There is bipartisan support for universal background checks in Congress and near universal support for background checks from the American people.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 8.

Mr. Speaker, that is nonsense. What was just said on the floor is not accurate.

The only thing this bill does is require a background check. If someone has legally purchased a firearm and passed a background check, nobody is going to take that gun away from them. They legally purchased it. They passed the background check.

To come out with that kind of nonsense, that type of scare tactic, is not complementary to the decorum of this

House, and it does not speak to this bill.

Mr. Speaker, Democrats today want to introduce gun control legislation that they say is going to make you safer. They want to expand background checks.

But what do background checks accomplish?

Well, the DOJ said there were 112,000 denials in a year.

Who were those 112,000 people?

Well, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would have you think those were felons, they saved you from those felons.

But how many of those 112,000 were prosecuted for that crime of trying to acquire that gun?

According to the DOJ, 12--1-2--12 in a year.

Who were the other 100,000?

Imagine, just imagine now that you are the victim of an abusive relationship and after 5 years you have summoned the courage and the resources to separate from that relationship, but things have escalated and now you have decided that it is time to acquire the means to protect you and your children. So you go to the gun store and you try to buy a gun. The clerk presses the computer button, and it says ``denied.''

You ask the clerk, ``Why was it denied?''

The clerk says, ``I don't know. This happens sometimes. Maybe you had a similar name to somebody else in the database.''

You can't buy a gun today, tomorrow, next week. Not ever. You have

been denied. So you go to a friend you have known for a long time. Your friend says, ``I would like to help you.''

You say, ``Well, I don't know if I am going to make it through the night.''

Your friend says, ``I would like to help you, but don't you know H.R. 8 passed and it was signed by the President. I can't spend a year in a cage. Good luck tonight.''

Mr. Speaker, now, I am not going to ask you to imagine what happens next because the Democrats saw fit to put into this bill a requirement that you have an imminent threat of death. The threat has to be right there upon you or great bodily harm.

What do they say?

Well, if you are just expecting a few bruises and maybe a punch, put some ice on it.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to ask my colleagues here today and I am going to challenge the sponsors of this bill and those of them who might think they would vote for this bill to consider whether it is fair.

Is it fair to surround yourself with armed guards, with Capitol Hill Police who have guns, with personal details, bodyguards, and ask the people to pay for it when you make it harder for those same people to protect themselves?

I don't think that is fair.

And for the fact checkers who are already hard at work on this speech, I include in the Record this GAO report on the DOJ statistics on background checks.

[From the United States Government Accountability Office, Sept. 2018]

Report to the Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, House of

Representatives

Law Enforcement--Few Individuals Denied Firearms Purchases Are

Prosecuted and ATF Should Assess Use of Warning Notices in Lieu of

Prosecutions

why gao did this study

In 2017, approximately 25.6 million firearm-related

background checks were processed through NICS, and about

181,000 of the attempted purchases at the federal and state

levels combined were denied because the individual was

prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal or state

law. Individuals who certify that they are not prohibited

from purchasing or receiving a firearm and are subsequently

determined to be prohibited could be subject to

investigation, and if prosecuted, a fine, imprisonment, or

both.

GAO was asked to examine firearms denials. This report (1)

describes the extent to which federal and selected state law

enforcement agencies investigate and prosecute firearms

denial cases; (2) examines related challenges faced by these

agencies; and (3) describes the circumstances that lead to

investigations and prosecutions. GAO reviewed laws and

regulations; analyzed federal and state data from 2011

through 2017; and interviewed officials from ATF

headquarters, 6 of 25 ATF field divisions (the 6 that

investigated the most cases), and the 13 states that process

all NICS checks within their state. Results from state

interviews are not generalizable but provide insights on

state practices.

what gao recommends

GAO recommends that ATF assess the extent to which ATF

field divisions use warning notifications as an enforcement

tool, which would inform whether changes to policy are

needed. DOJ concurred with GAO's recommendation.

what gao found

Investigations and prosecutions. Federal and selected state

law enforcement agencies that process firearm-related

background checks through the National Instant Criminal

Background Check System (NICS) collectively investigate and

prosecute a small percentage of individuals who falsify

information on a firearms form (e.g., do not disclose a

felony conviction) and are denied a purchase. Federal NICS

checks resulted in about 112,000 denied transactions in

fiscal year) 2017, of which the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,

Firearms and Explosives (ATF) referred about 12,700 to its

field divisions for further investigation. U.S. Attorney's

Offices (USAO) had prosecuted 12 of these cases as of June

2018.

Mr. Speaker, I have a brief point to make. I wonder how my colleagues on the other side of the aisle hold two thoughts in contradiction simultaneously in their minds. They say that photo IDs and excessive registration paperwork and whatnot disenfranchises disproportionately minorities and the poor when they go to exercise their right to vote. But today with H.R. 8 and the next bill that is coming up, they are doing exactly that. They are causing there to be increased fees, increased paperwork, and more photo IDs.

How does that not disenfranchise not just all Americans but disproportionately minorities and the poor?

Mr. Speaker, I leave that to my colleagues to answer today.