REPS. THOMPSON, KING ANNOUNCE LAW ENFORCEMENT ENDORSEMENTS FOR BACKGROUND CHECKS BILL
May 23, 2013
Broad coalition backs bipartisan legislation to expand current background check system
U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Pete King (R-NY) today announced that a broad coalition of nine law enforcement organizations have endorsed H.R. 1565, the King-Thompson bipartisan compromise to expand the current background check system to all commercial firearm sales.
“Our law enforcement officials know firsthand the dangers of criminals, terrorist and the dangerously mentally ill getting guns, and they understand background checks are the first line of defense against firearms falling into the wrong hands. We will not give up on a bill that makes our law enforcement officials' jobs easier and our streets safer. It should be passed and signed into law,” said Thompson and King.
The nine law enforcement organizations endorsing the legislation are the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA), the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), the International Association of Police Chiefs (IACP), the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCC), the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), and the Police Foundation (PF). Collectively, the nine organizations make up the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence.
In a letter to Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, chair of the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence, and Baltimore County Chief Jim Johnson wrote, “[b]ackground checks for firearm purchasers are highly effective in keeping guns from those too dangerous to possess them…We urge you to support this important legislation, and if you have not done so already, we ask that you add your name as a cosponsor to this bill that we in law enforcement know will save lives.”
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). More than 175 House members have cosponsored the bill.
The legislation helps prevent guns from falling into criminal hands and reinforces the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners. It expands the existing background check system to cover all commercial firearm sales, including those at gun shows, over the internet or in classified ads. By closing these loopholes, the legislation greatly reduces the number of places that criminals and the dangerously mentally ill can buy guns. Right now, a criminal can buy a firearm at a table or out of someone's trunk at a gun show, over the internet, or through a newspaper ad because no background check is required for these kinds of sales.
Last year, the background check system identified and denied more than 88,000 sales to criminals, domestic abusers, those with serious mental illnesses, and other prohibited purchasers. However, those same prohibited purchasers could buy those guns at a gun show or over the Internet without any questions asked. More than 40 percent of gun sales are conducted without a background check. The King-Thompson bill helps fix this by expanding the current background check system to close these loopholes. Under the bill, background checks will continue to be conducted though a licensed dealer in the same manner as they have for more than 40 years.
The legislation also strengthens the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners by banning the government from creating a federal registry and makes the misuse of records a felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. It provides reasonable exceptions for family and friend transfers and allows active military personnel to buy guns in the state they are stationed. It lets gun owners use a state concealed carry permit issued within the last five years in lieu of a background check and permits interstate handgun sales from licensed dealers.
The bill also improves the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) by incentivizing states to improve reporting of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill and by directing future grant funds toward better record-sharing systems. The bill will also reduce federal funds to states that do not comply.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
A full copy of the letter to lawmakers is below.
Dear Members of Congress:
I write to convey the strong support of the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence (the Partnership) for H.R. 1565, the “Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act.”
The Partnership is an alliance of the nation's law enforcement leadership organizations concerned about the unacceptable level of gun violence in the United States. Our members include the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA); Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA); International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA); International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCC); National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE); National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); Police Executive Research Forum (PERF); and the Police Foundation (PF).
We commend Representatives Peter King and Mike Thompson for introducing this legislation that will take two important steps forward in strengthening and expanding the existing background check system. First, extending the federal background check requirement to gun shows, to online advertisements, postings, displays and other listings, and to publications will block prohibited purchasers from acquiring firearms through these additional channels. Second, encouraging states to report all of their disqualifying records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) will improve checks by ensuring that all prohibited purchasers are in the background check system.
Ideally, the legislation would require background checks for all gun sales, closing more avenues for criminals and the dangerously mentally ill seeking to acquire guns. However, this extension of background checks to all firearm sales at gun shows, and to postings online and in publications is an important step forward.
Background checks for firearm purchasers are highly effective in keeping guns from those too dangerous to possess them. According to the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics, since the Brady Law took effect in 1994, background checks blocked more than 2 million prohibited purchases from acquiring guns through federally licensed firearm dealers.
We urge you to support this important public safety measure, and if you have not done so already, we ask that you add your name as a cosponsor to this bill that we in law enforcement know will save lives.
Sincerely,
“Our law enforcement officials know firsthand the dangers of criminals, terrorist and the dangerously mentally ill getting guns, and they understand background checks are the first line of defense against firearms falling into the wrong hands. We will not give up on a bill that makes our law enforcement officials' jobs easier and our streets safer. It should be passed and signed into law,” said Thompson and King.
The nine law enforcement organizations endorsing the legislation are the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA), the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), the International Association of Police Chiefs (IACP), the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCC), the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), and the Police Foundation (PF). Collectively, the nine organizations make up the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence.
In a letter to Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, chair of the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence, and Baltimore County Chief Jim Johnson wrote, “[b]ackground checks for firearm purchasers are highly effective in keeping guns from those too dangerous to possess them…We urge you to support this important legislation, and if you have not done so already, we ask that you add your name as a cosponsor to this bill that we in law enforcement know will save lives.”
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). More than 175 House members have cosponsored the bill.
The legislation helps prevent guns from falling into criminal hands and reinforces the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners. It expands the existing background check system to cover all commercial firearm sales, including those at gun shows, over the internet or in classified ads. By closing these loopholes, the legislation greatly reduces the number of places that criminals and the dangerously mentally ill can buy guns. Right now, a criminal can buy a firearm at a table or out of someone's trunk at a gun show, over the internet, or through a newspaper ad because no background check is required for these kinds of sales.
Last year, the background check system identified and denied more than 88,000 sales to criminals, domestic abusers, those with serious mental illnesses, and other prohibited purchasers. However, those same prohibited purchasers could buy those guns at a gun show or over the Internet without any questions asked. More than 40 percent of gun sales are conducted without a background check. The King-Thompson bill helps fix this by expanding the current background check system to close these loopholes. Under the bill, background checks will continue to be conducted though a licensed dealer in the same manner as they have for more than 40 years.
The legislation also strengthens the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners by banning the government from creating a federal registry and makes the misuse of records a felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. It provides reasonable exceptions for family and friend transfers and allows active military personnel to buy guns in the state they are stationed. It lets gun owners use a state concealed carry permit issued within the last five years in lieu of a background check and permits interstate handgun sales from licensed dealers.
The bill also improves the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) by incentivizing states to improve reporting of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill and by directing future grant funds toward better record-sharing systems. The bill will also reduce federal funds to states that do not comply.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
A full copy of the letter to lawmakers is below.
May 22, 2013
Dear Members of Congress:
I write to convey the strong support of the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence (the Partnership) for H.R. 1565, the “Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act.”
The Partnership is an alliance of the nation's law enforcement leadership organizations concerned about the unacceptable level of gun violence in the United States. Our members include the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA); Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA); International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA); International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCC); National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE); National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); Police Executive Research Forum (PERF); and the Police Foundation (PF).
We commend Representatives Peter King and Mike Thompson for introducing this legislation that will take two important steps forward in strengthening and expanding the existing background check system. First, extending the federal background check requirement to gun shows, to online advertisements, postings, displays and other listings, and to publications will block prohibited purchasers from acquiring firearms through these additional channels. Second, encouraging states to report all of their disqualifying records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) will improve checks by ensuring that all prohibited purchasers are in the background check system.
Ideally, the legislation would require background checks for all gun sales, closing more avenues for criminals and the dangerously mentally ill seeking to acquire guns. However, this extension of background checks to all firearm sales at gun shows, and to postings online and in publications is an important step forward.
Background checks for firearm purchasers are highly effective in keeping guns from those too dangerous to possess them. According to the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics, since the Brady Law took effect in 1994, background checks blocked more than 2 million prohibited purchases from acquiring guns through federally licensed firearm dealers.
We urge you to support this important public safety measure, and if you have not done so already, we ask that you add your name as a cosponsor to this bill that we in law enforcement know will save lives.
Sincerely,
Chief Jim Johnson, Baltimore County, MD
Chair, National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence
Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA)
Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA)
International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCC)
National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE)
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)
Police Foundation (PF)
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