Lake County News: Thompson applauds President Obama's action on gun violence

Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-5), chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, lauded President Barack Obama’s executive actions to help prevent gun violence by expanding criminal background checks.

“Thirty-plus people are killed every day by someone using a gun, and the actions taken today by President Obama will help save some of those lives. I applaud this move and thank him for his relentless work on the issue of gun violence,” Thompson said.

Thompson had returned to Washington over the weekend in order to meet with Obama on Monday to discuss the proposed measures.

The executive actions announced Monday eliminate the ambiguity surrounding the term: “engaged in the business” as it pertains to federally licensed firearms dealers.

Under current law, only licensed gun dealers are required to perform background checks for all gun sales, and only those individuals deemed to be "engaged in the business" of dealing in guns are required to obtain a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The executive actions clarify the term to state that anyone making a profit from the sale of guns, regularly making gun sales, and/or earning their livelihood from gun sales is “engaged in the business” and therefore must obtain a license and conduct criminal background checks, even if at a gun show or over the Internet.

“Make no mistake, the president’s executive actions will make our country safer by helping keep guns out of dangerous hands. And, they will only impact those who we all agree shouldn’t have guns: criminals, domestic abusers and the dangerously mentally ill,” Thompson said.

“Because of the president’s actions, more people will have to get background checks, and that’s a good thing – but it doesn’t let Congress off the hook. Many firearms can still be bought and sold at gun shows, over the Internet or through classified ads with no questions asked. This allows dangerous people, who otherwise wouldn’t be able to pass a background check, to get guns,” he said.

Thompson sent a letter signed by 114 of his colleagues to the White House in November 2015 urging the president to close the background check loophole through executive action.

In March 2015 a coalition of U.S. House members introduced H.R. 1217, the bipartisan King-Thompson background check legislation, officially known as the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act of 2015.

The bill, authored by Thompson and Pete King (R-NY), expands the existing background check system to cover all commercial firearm sales, including those at gun shows, over the Internet or in classified ads while providing reasonable exceptions for family and friend transfers.

The King-Thompson bill was co-authored by Reps. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Pat Meehan (R-PA), Bob Dold (R-IL), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) and Kathleen Rice (D-NY).

Under the legislation, the current background check system would be expanded to require comprehensive and enforceable background checks on all commercial gun sales, such as those made at gun shows, over the Internet or through classified ads.

Studies show that every day where background checks are used, the system stops more than 170 felons, some 50 domestic abusers, and nearly 20 fugitives from buying a gun.

However, no system is in place to prevent these same prohibited purchasers from buying identical guns at a gun show, over the Internet, or through a newspaper ad with no questions asked because background checks are not required for these kinds of sales. The King-Thompson bill closes these loopholes.

“We need to pass the bipartisan King-Thompson legislation that closes these remaining loopholes so criminals, domestic abusers and the dangerously mentally ill don’t have easy access to guns,” Thompson said. “The president has done his part, now Congress needs to do ours. Let’s finish the job.”