Dianne Feinstein

Madam President, I rise today to address a continuing concern: the online sale of firearms using deceptive and misleading means. It simply continues to be too easy for individuals to evade existing restrictions and buy firearms through online platforms. This behavior endangers us all.

Companies like Facebook have taken important steps by banning the sale of firearms on their websites. However, despite these efforts, the online sale of firearms continues to persist as a significant problem. Disturbingly, between April and June 2020 alone, Facebook had to remove a staggering 1.3 million pieces of content related to firearms from its platform.

One of the primary challenges we face is that sellers are employing new tactics to circumvent online sales restrictions for firearms. They resort to posting listings for firearms under deceptive names such as ``stickers'' to evade detection.

I am proud to once again introduce legislation that addresses this issue head-on. My Stopping the Fraudulent Sales of Firearms Act aims to establish a Federal crime for the sale of firearms online through fraudulent representations. Specifically, it targets the deceptive marketing of firearms as seemingly innocuous items like ``stickers.'' These practices undermine the safety and security of our communities and must be met with swift and robust consequences. I thank my colleagues Senators Booker, Blumenthal, and Menendez for joining me in this effort.

We must act decisively to address the persistent problem of uncontrolled online firearms sales and ensure that our laws keep pace with evolving practices. By passing this legislation, we can demonstrate our commitment to protecting the public and preventing firearms from falling into the wrong hands. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and join me in safeguarding our communities from the dangers posed by deceptive online firearm sales.

Madam President, I rise today to address a continuing concern: the online sale of firearms using deceptive and misleading means. It simply continues to be too easy for individuals to evade existing restrictions and buy firearms through online platforms. This behavior endangers us all.

Companies like Facebook have taken important steps by banning the sale of firearms on their websites. However, despite these efforts, the online sale of firearms continues to persist as a significant problem. Disturbingly, between April and June 2020 alone, Facebook had to remove a staggering 1.3 million pieces of content related to firearms from its platform.

One of the primary challenges we face is that sellers are employing new tactics to circumvent online sales restrictions for firearms. They resort to posting listings for firearms under deceptive names such as ``stickers'' to evade detection.

I am proud to once again introduce legislation that addresses this issue head-on. My Stopping the Fraudulent Sales of Firearms Act aims to establish a Federal crime for the sale of firearms online through fraudulent representations. Specifically, it targets the deceptive marketing of firearms as seemingly innocuous items like ``stickers.'' These practices undermine the safety and security of our communities and must be met with swift and robust consequences. I thank my colleagues Senators Booker, Blumenthal, and Menendez for joining me in this effort.

We must act decisively to address the persistent problem of uncontrolled online firearms sales and ensure that our laws keep pace with evolving practices. By passing this legislation, we can demonstrate our commitment to protecting the public and preventing firearms from falling into the wrong hands. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and join me in safeguarding our communities from the dangers posed by deceptive online firearm sales.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay a heartfelt tribute to my long-time director of communications, Tom Mentzer, who passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. Tom was a larger than life personality and his loss is still felt deeply by myself and our entire office.

Tom was born in Poulsbo, WA, but spent a large part of his youth in Germany in the cities of Kaiserslautern and Heidelberg. He was a graduate of Heidelberg American High School and went on to DePauw University, where he majored in political science and communications. Tom stayed in Indiana for his graduate work and completed his master's in journalism at Indiana University in 2001.

He began his communications career in 1994 as a reporter for the Heidelberg Herald-Post. Upon completion of his masters, Tom began work with Scripps Howard News Service before joining the Urban Institute. In 2007, he was hired as a press secretary for Congressman Sam Farr. Tom joined my staff in 2010 as a press secretary, and 4 years later, he assumed the role of director of communications, which he maintained until his passing.

Tom was among the best at his craft and he played a role in messaging nearly every piece of legislation from my office. I valued his wise counsel on many contentious issues, and he was by my side during the release of the torture report as well as multiple reelection campaigns, appropriations fights, and Supreme Court nominations. He was essential to our efforts on ending gun violence, climate change, water issues, and the Lake Tahoe Summit.

Always ready with a humorous quip, Tom understood how to lighten the mood during the most difficult of days. His zeal for life was infectious, and it extended to many things outside of the office, including travel, sports, cooking, food, and drinks. Tom had a unique ability to connect with people from all walks of life and was a mentor to many in our office. He had an empathy that I admired, and I, like so many others, will greatly miss his wry take on issues of the day.

Tom was private about his cancer diagnosis, and many did not know the extent of the disease. Although he did not beat cancer, he was determined not to let it define him. He was fond of a quote by the late comedian Norm MacDonald, who said, ``I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure if you die, the cancer dies at the same time. That's not a loss. That's a draw.''

I will forever be grateful for Tom's wisdom and dedication to my office and the people of California. I offer my sincere condolences to Tom's family and his wife Kristen, with whom he shared the better part of 22 years of his life. I wish all of them the best during this difficult chapter of their lives.