Quigley, Mayor Bloomberg Announce Legislation to Fix Gun Checks
Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) joined other Representatives and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to announce legislation to fix the nation's broken background check system. The bill matches comprehensive legislation recently introduced in the Senate and is supported by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.
"Last year, the Supreme Court made clear that we can protect both the 2nd amendment and our citizens," said Rep. Mike Quigley. "Now it's time for Congress to marginalize the extremes of this debate, close the gun show loophole, and strengthen our laws already on the books. Ultimately, we can keep guns out of the hands of terrorists, felons, and the mentally ill and protect children in Chicago and the safety of all Americans."
The gun show loophole is a gap in federal law that allows private gun dealers to sell weapons to anyone – including terrorists, felons, and the mentally disabled – without performing background checks.
"Too often, any serious discussion about guns devolves into ideological arguments that have nothing to do with the real problem," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Our coalition strongly believes in the Second Amendment. We also know from experience that we can keep guns away from dangerous people without imposing burdens on law-abiding gun owners."
The legislation would require states to improve their reporting of records on criminals, drug abusers, domestic violence offenders and the seriously mentally ill to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The bill would ramp up penalties for states that fail to adequately turn over records of these categories of dangerous individuals who are already barred by federal law from owning a gun. The legislation will also require that all gun sales, including those by private sellers, be subject to a background check.
Two weeks ago, Quigley joined Mayor Richard Daley and Mayors Against Illegal Guns for an event in Chicago to bring attention to the 34 gun murders in America every day. This weekend, he published an editorial in the Chicago Sun-Times about the need for Congress to promote gun safety. President Obama also published an editorial in the Arizona Daily Star on Sunday, calling for a renewed national conversation on gun reform.
A high-resolution photo is available upon request.
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Quigley and Daley join nationwide tour to support gun safety
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