Do the Right Thing: Support Common Sense Federal Gun Control Laws

As your constituent, I urge you to take action on background checks to save lives and protect communities from gun violence. Background checks on gun sales work and they stop sales to prohibited people every day. Since 1994, over 3.5 million sales have been blocked to violent criminals and other prohibited people because of a background check. However, federal law requires a background check on a prospective gun buyer only when a seller is a licensed gun dealer, leaving all other sales—such as gun sales between strangers negotiated over the internet or at a gun show—unregulated and with no background check required. That is why Congress must take action on background checks to keep guns out of the wrong hands. This loophole in our background check law weakens gun possession laws, enabling criminals to get armed with no questions asked, and making it difficult to enforce the law and protect communities from gun violence. Background checks are the foundation of any effective effort to reduce gun violence in this country, and these laws enjoy broad public approval, with poll after poll demonstrating overwhelming support. In fact, 93% of American voters support requiring background checks on all gun sales, including 89% of Republicans and 87% of gun owners. It has been 25 years since our federal government last enacted a gun safety law: that's 25 years of families being devastated as their loved ones were killed or wounded, and 25 years of survivors and activists demanding change. I urge you to take action on background checks. For the love of God, enough is enough. Stop the senseless loss of lives in this country and do the right thing.