Democrats are making a statement in the early days of this congress by prioritizing expansive gun safety legislation. House Democrats announced a bill Tuesday that will broaden background checks for all gun purchases, even online and gun show sales.
The bill was unveiled on the 8th anniversary that former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was shot in the head.
“Now is the time to come together be responsible. Democrats, Republicans everyone we must never stop fighting…fight, fight, fight!” Giffords said.
Public polling shows that 92% of people support background checks for gun purchases.
“We say enough is enough by finally bringing common sense bipartisan background check legislation to the floor of the house…..isn’t that exciting,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.
The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., and Peter King, R-N.Y., and includes four additional original GOP co-sponsors: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Fred Upton of Michigan, Chris Smith of New Jersey and Brian Mast of Florida.
Under the Thompson bill, anyone who wanted to sell a gun but lacked a license would have to take the weapon to a licensed dealer, who would then conduct a background check on the purchaser.
Transfers between law enforcement officers and military personnel acting in a professional capacity would be exempt, as would “a loan or bona fide gift between spouses, between domestic partners, between parents and their children, between siblings, between aunts and uncles and their nieces or nephews or between grandparents and their grandchildren,” according to the text of the bill.
The legislation is likely to sail through the House but is likely to get stuck in the Republican-led Senate.
