WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release) – Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona), who was partially paralyzed after she was shot in the head on Jan. 8, 2011 by a gunman who killed six people and wounded 13, and her astronaut husband Captain Mark Kelly, joined a bipartisan press conference of House members to voice their support for H.R. 1217, the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act. Congressman Bob Dold (R-Illinois), who co-authored the legislation, was also joined at the press conference by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-California), Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-Connecticut) and Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-New York).
“As a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and responsible gun ownership, I am proud to co-author this commonsense legislation that will help keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill. This bipartisan bill takes critical steps towards stemming gun violence in our communities and schools by closing loopholes in the system that all too often allow firearms to end up in the wrong hands. This is a critically important cause that transcends party lines, and I hope Congress and the President will move quickly to put this law on the books,” Dold said when introducing the legislation.
H.R. 1217 expands the current background check system to require comprehensive and enforceable background checks on all commercial gun sales, including sales at gun shows and firearms purchases made via the internet. The bill also strengthens Second Amendment protections for law abiding gun owners by prohibiting the government from creating a federal registry and by making the misuse of background check records a felony. The text of the legislation also includes reasonable exceptions to the background check requirement for firearm transfers between family members and friends.
“Congressman Dold, I thank you for your leadership on this issue,” Captain Mark Kelly said at the press conference. “Today, four Republicans and four Democrats are re-introducing bipartisan legislation to close the loopholes in our laws, and will make it harder for people who aren’t supposed to have access to a gun get one…it will make our communities safer and it will save lives,” Kelly added.
“Now is the time to come together and be responsible. Democrats, Republicans, everyone,” said Giffords. {Editor’s note: The former congresswoman is a member of the Jewish community.) “We must never stop fighting. Fight! Fight! Fight!”
In addition to those at the press conference, the legislation was also co-authored by Rep. Peter King (R-New York), Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi), Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania) and Rep. Pat Meehan (R-Pennsylvania).
The Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act of 2015 has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
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Preceding provided by U.S. Rep. Bob Dold (R-Illinois).
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