CHAIRMAN THOMPSON STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT RULING AGAINST STRAW PURCHASERS
WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5), Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court upheld a federal law in Abramski v. U.S. that makes it a crime for one person to buy a gun with the purpose of transferring the gun to another person while lying to the dealer about the final owner of the firearm.
"Today, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a commonsense law that helps keep guns away from those we all agree shouldn't have them. Criminals, domestic abusers, and those with a history of serious mental illness should not be able to send a straw person into a gun store to pass a background check and buy a firearm on their behalf. This practice exploits a loophole in our criminal background check system and the court was right to keep it closed.
"However, closing other major loopholes in our background check system requires action from Congress. Right now, those same prohibited purchasers who seek out a straw person to buy their guns can just as easily go online or drive to a gun show and get a gun with no questions asked. That's why we need to pass legislation that requires background checks for all commercial gun sales."
In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that purchasing a gun with the intent to sell it to someone else is an illegal attempt to evade the Brady law, which requires that the actual buyer of a gun undergo a background check. Such actions, known as "straw purchases," could allow prohibited purchasers to have another person pass a background check and buy a gun on their behalf.
Thompson is a co-author of H.R. 1565 with Pete King (R-NY). The bipartisan King-Thompson legislation is identical to the bipartisan agreement on background checks struck by Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Pat Toomey (R-PA). Nearly 190 House members have cosponsored the bill. H.R. 1565 expands the existing background check system to require comprehensive and enforceable background checks for all commercial firearm sales, including those at gun shows, over the internet or in classified ads.
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and chairs the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
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