Issue Position: Gun Violence

Issue Position

Whether a heartbreaking and tragic mass murder at a peaceful club or the daily shots being fired in many of our neighborhoods, gun violence is simply out of control. While owning a gun is a part of many law-abiding Americans' lives, too many families have had to bury loved ones because of gun tragedies that could have been prevented.

The evidence is clear -- background checks work and have been shown to dramatically reduce gun violence. But current federal law only requires licensed gun dealers to conduct background checks, which means that millions of guns are sold every year without a background check. Guns sold at gun shows, online, or through "private sellers" are allowed to operate outside of federal background check regulation. I'll fight to close these loopholes and work to pass legislation that will keep Americans safe.

And we can't stop there. Currently, individuals on the FBI's terrorism watch list or the No-Fly List are permitted to buy a gun. We need to close this loophole and ban terrorists from obtaining weapons. Assault weapons such as the AR-15 rifle used in so many mass shootings or the Sig Sauer MCX used in the tragedy in Orlando have no place being produced and sold for civilian use in this country. Enough is enough. In Congress, I'll be a voice for banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, which ordinary, law-abiding citizens simply have no use for. We must do everything we can to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. We must also crack down on gun trafficking. Guns from Georgia, Texas, and Alabama readily flow into Florida untraced until their arrival. In Congress, I will fight for legislation to hold gun traffickers accountable federally.

did you know?

Not only do Americans overwhelmingly support background check legislation, 74 percent of NRA members support criminal background checks for all gun sales.

In Congress, I won't bow to the gun lobby. I'll advocate for universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons, legislation that keeps guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, and to crack down on gun traffickers. It is time for us to end this epidemic.

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