Chairman Thompson Applauds Biden Executive Order Expanding Background Checks

Today, Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task ForceRep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) released the following statement after President Joe Biden announced an Executive Order with the goal of increasing the number of background checks conducted before firearm sales.

"The executive order that President Biden announced today moves us closer to universal background checks and will help save lives,” said Thompson. “No other gun violence prevention strategy is more important than keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals like felons and domestic abusers, which is why I introduced the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. In addition, President Biden directed relevant agencies to accelerate the implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act which will help save lives and provide our communities with the resources they need to help reduce gun violence.”

Chairman Thompson recently reintroduced the Bipartisan Background Checks Act with Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). The majority of the American public has supported laws requiring background checks on all firearm purchases, with polling data consistently showing that more than 90 percent of both gun owners and non-gun owners support this provision, including 72 percent of members of the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Chairman Thompson has introduced background check legislation every Congress since the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shooting which killed 20 children and six adult staff members. The Bipartisan Background Checks Act was first introduced in the 116th Congress by Rep. Thompson and was passed in the House by a vote of 240-190, and again passed in the 117th Congress and passed the House by a vote of 227-203. The bill languished in the Senate due to the filibuster.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is the most consequential gun violence prevention legislation signed into law in decades which Rep. Thompson helped to pass. The Executive Order will also keep more guns out of dangerous hands by increasing the effective use of “red flag” laws, strengthen efforts to hold the gun industry accountable, and accelerate law enforcement efforts to identify and apprehend shooters. President Biden is also calling on the Federal Trade Commission to issue a public report analyzing how gun manufacturers market firearms to minors.