Hastings on Passage of Commonsense Gun Violence Prevention Legislation

Press Release

Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following statement on the passage of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act, two commonsense gun violence prevention measures to require background checks on all gun sales and close the Charleston Loophole that permitted the hate crime at Mother Emanuel AME Church in 2015:

"In Florida and across the nation, the epidemic of gun violence takes the lives of an average of 100 Americans each day," said Hastings. "Tragically, throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the gun violence crisis has only grown worse. Across America people are joining courageous families and survivors as well as millions of young individuals marching for their lives to demand bold action, which is why I was proud to stand with my fellow colleagues to pass these two landmark, bipartisan gun violence prevention bills.

"These two pieces of legislation include commonsense measures to end gun violence and make background checks universal:

H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act -- which requires a background check for every gun sale or transfer to ensure that individuals already prohibited from gun possession under federal law, such as felons, domestic abusers and those who are considered a danger to themselves or others, are not able to obtain firearms.
H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act -- which would end the Charleston Loophole that enabled the horrific hate crime at Mother Emanuel AME Church that killed nine innocent people. The Charleston Loophole currently allows the sale of a firearm to proceed if a background check is not completed within three business days.
"These bills have the support of an overwhelming, bipartisan majority of Americans. Well over 90 percent of Americans support universal background checks -- including 85 percent of gun-owning households, as well as dozens of leading law enforcement, veterans, local government, public health and other groups such as Major Cities Chiefs Association, VoteVets, Police Executive Research Forum, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the Hispanic American Police Commanders Association and the American Medical Association.

"This bipartisan support exists because background checks work. Since 1994, when background checks were first implemented, they have stopped more than 3 million dangerous people from getting guns. Due to background checks in 2017 alone, over 170,000 sales were denied -- 39 percent of them to convicted felons. Every day where background checks are used they stop more than 160 felons and about 50 domestic abusers from purchasing a gun.

"Unfortunately, due to existing loopholes that allow unlicensed gun sellers to sell guns without a background check, up to 80 percent of firearms used for criminal purposes are currently sold without a background check. The Charleston Loophole alone allows the sale of hundreds of thousands of guns to potentially dangerous individuals each year.

"Too many families across our nation have been devastated by the plague of gun violence," continued Hastings. "I will continue to fight for strong, effective action to help address the epidemic of gun violence in our communities. Enough is enough!"

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