Benicia Herald - Thompson launches website on gun law

Rep. Mike Thompson, who represents Benicia in the U.S. House, has started a new website that explains his bipartisan Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act and gives people a chance to comment on the bill.

"I want to make sure the public has easy access to the facts about my background check bill and (want) people to have the opportunity to provide thoughtful and constructive feedback," Thompson, a Napa Democrat, said in a news release.

His bill would expand the existing background check system so that it would cover all commercial firearms sales, including those at gun shows, through Internet outlets and by classified advertising, he said.

"I am a gun owner and supporter of the Second Amendment," Thompson said.

The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, part of the Bill of Rights, states that "a well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." Versions passed by Congress and ratified by the states differ in capitalization and punctuation, but the verbiage is the same.

The U.S. Supreme Court has acknowledged that the law is related to a provision in the English Bill of Rights of 1689 that prevented the Crown from disarming Protestant subjects, according to information from the UCLA School of Law.

Thompson has tried to assure his constituents that his bill wouldn't abridge their Second Amendment rights.

"People deserve the opportunity to learn for themselves that this bill isn't about restricting the rights of law-abiding Americans," he said. "It's about keeping guns from criminals, domestic abusers, drug addicts and the dangerously mentally ill."

Last March, members of the House introduced HR 1217, background check legislation authored by both Thompson and New York Republican Pete King. Their legislation would expand the existing background check system to cover all commercial firearm sales, including those made at gun shows and through the Internet and classified ads.

Joining Thompson and King in authoring the bill were U.S. Reps. Mike Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Pat Meehan, R-Pa., Bob Dold, R-Ill., Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn., and Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y.

Thompson said the bill provides reasonable exceptions for transfers of firearms among family members or friends.

"The legislation also supports the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners," Thompson said, explaning it bans the government from creating a federal registry and makes misuse of records a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

It also "allows active military personnel to buy guns in the state in which they are stationed. It permits interstate handgun sales from licensed dealers. And, under the bill, background checks would continue to be conducted in the same manner as they have for more than 40 years," Thompson said.

Those interesting in viewing the website may do so at https://mikethompson.house.gov/backgroundchecks and those who want to comment on the bill may do so by emailing backgroundchecks.thompson@mail.house.gov.