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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5), Chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, today released the following statement on President Obama's executive actions to help prevent gun violence by expanding criminal background checks:
"30-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.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5), Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, returned to Washington, D.C. yesterday to meet with President Obama at the White House this afternoon. The meeting will be focused on measures the president can take to reduce and prevent gun violence.
President Obama will announce executive actions on Tuesday intended to expand background checks for some firearm purchases and step up federal enforcement of the nation’s gun laws, White House officials said Monday, once again trying to sidestep a gridlocked Congress on a politically divisive issue.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) announced today the launch of the second annual Congressional App Challenge for the 5th Congressional District.
Established by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2013, this nationwide competition invites high school students from all participating congressional districts to compete by creating and exhibiting their software application, or "app," for mobile, tablet, or computer devices. It is designed to promote innovation and engagement in the STEM education fields.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) voted today to pass H.R. 2029, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill. This measure funds the government for FY 2016.
"This bill is far from perfect but it averts a disastrous government shutdown, makes investments that help working people, and will benefit communities in our district," said Thompson. "Next year we need to build on this compromise and avoid governing from crisis-to-crisis and cliff-to-cliff."
The legislation includes these important measures:
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today voted against H.R. 2029, legislation that extends or makes permanent numerous tax provisions but isn't paid for and would add upwards of $680 billion to the national debt. Those tax provisions made permanent include conservation easements, the research and development tax credit, Section 179 capital expensing for small businesses, and expanded versions of the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit and the American Opportunity Tax Credit for college expenses.
Despite an epidemic of mass shootings, House and Senate Republicans have kept in place a 17-year-old ban on using any government funds for research into lessening gun violence.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5), Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, released the following statement on the Dickey Amendment's, which bans gun violence research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), inclusion omnibus bill:
Renewing his call for stricter gun laws on the third anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, used a tense federal hearing in Sacramento on Monday to advocate for broader background checks and disarming people on a federal no-fly list.
“Rather than take a position of ‘we’ll pass no laws,’ I think it’s time folks took a stand” for tighter gun laws, Thompson said at the outset of a hearing at the Capitol. “If you’re a criminal or you’re dangerously mentally ill,” he added, “I don’t think you should have a gun.”
On Monday, Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) held a hearing to discuss ways to curb gun violence, including through bolstering mental health care and background checks, the AP/Sacramento Bee reports
California operates a database to cross-reference certain criminal convictions, mental health records and active domestic violence restraining orders when individuals purchase firearms. About one-third of individuals in the database are included for mental health reasons.