plan of action - november 18, 2017

Gun Legislation


Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), who (unlike his junior colleague) will occasionally surprise you and do something half-way reasonable, has introduced bi-partisan legislation, the Fix NICS Act, to strengthen the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The U.S. Air Force failed to release information to the database about the Sutherland Springs shooter’s history of domestic violence. Had they done so, he might have been prevented from buying a weapon. The bill requires that agencies and jurisdictions come up with systems which will ensure comprehensive reporting and sets out a system of penalties for those which fail to report. The legislation does not go far enough in extending the requirement of background checks to all gun sales. (Private sales are not covered, which includes a significant number of gun show sales.) However, it is a step in the right direction.

Action:

1. Send a message to Senator Cornyn, thanking him for introducing the Fix NICS Act. Ask how he plans to ensure that all gun sales are subject to NICS background checks, instead of only 60% as under current law.

2. Send messages to your own senators, asking them to support the Fix NICS Act and also asking them to draft legislation to extend the requirement of background checks to 100% of gun sales.