Democratic Senator Chris Murphy to introduce universal background check law

[DonViejo]

Source: CBS News



BY JACK TURMAN

MARCH 2, 2021 / 9:00 AM / CBS NEWS

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut is reintroducing legislation Tuesday that would require universal background checks on the sale or transfer of all firearms. Universal background checks are largely supported by Americans but have not gained traction in Congress.

Murphy's bill, the Background Check Expansion Act, would extend a background check requirement to unlicensed and private firearm sellers before selling a firearm. Current federal law doesn't require unlicensed sellers to do background checks before transferring firearms.

Polling from gun reform advocacy groups Everytown for Gun Safety and Giffords finds 93% of Americans support a background check requirement for all gun sales. In 2019, the House passed a comprehensive background check bill, but it died in the Republican-controlled Senate. Democratic Congressman Mike Thompson of California will introduce the House version of the Senate bill on Tuesday.

Democrats hoping to pass gun safety laws have a champion in the White House, and President Joe Biden last month called on Congress to pass gun control legislation, including background checks. However, the legislation still requires 10 Republican senators to vote with Democrats to advance the bill, a significant obstacle to passage.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gun-control-universal-background-checks-senate/

[mopinko]

1. passed time for this.

i think if there is one thing biden learned as veep, it's to strike while the iron is hot, and to strike hard.

[12over]

2. good requirement, but does nothing to cure the problem

It just makes sense, if there is a law saying that someone cant be a felon and buy a gun, run a background check to see if they are or not. Just common sense.

However... this does nothing to get to the heart of the problem of gun violence.

Universal background checks have long been a rallying cry by the left. Mainly as a "look at us, we are doing SOMETHING to stop gun violence".... here is a tip. It wont.

Until the fundamental issues that drive someone to commit a crime involving a gun are addressed, none of the laws banning certain types of guns, guns that look "evil" or have "evil" features , limits on magazine capacity, universal background checks... wont stop or even slow gun violence.

It is a much, much deeper issue that not a single politician, left or right, is willing to get anywhere near.

[AverageOldGuy]

3. This will never happen, but ....

. . . I'd like to see federal laws that:
-- ban the import, manufacture and possession of certain types of weapons. Right now, federal law outlaws certain weapons -- machine guns, shoulder-fired rocket launchers and other items that clearly are weapons of war.. We need to add to that the AR-15, AK-47 and similar firearms.
-- ban ghost guns and the sale, manufacture and possession of the parts.
-- same ban for high-capacity magazines. My Weatherby and Remington rifles do just fine with 4-round magazines. If you need 20 rounds for deer hunting, you need to take up needlepoint. 10 rounds in a pistol; 5 in a pump or semi-auto shotgun.
-- establish a turn-in bounty with a deadline. Turn in your AR-15 to a designated location, receive a check for $750; ditto for other banned weapons and magazines. Establish a 3 or 4 year grace period, after which possession gets a jail sentence.

I know -- never happen, but, aim for the stars and you might land on the moon.

I'm a retired Army infantry officer with two Vietnam tours and a number of firearms -- I hunt and shoot, not as much as I did. Am now teaching my city-dwelling grandsons firearm safety, hunting safety and marksmanship when they come to visit out here in the boondocks.

[SheltieLover]

10. Add mandatory 20-30 yr prison timre for posession of guns illegally!

And NORE for using illegally obtained guns in commission of a crime!

[ahoysrcsm]

14. Your best option is to ban the manufacture all forms of firearms.

I like your statement, as a RKBA Democrat, I will explain why banning all manufacture of firearms is the only option.

-- ban the import, manufacture and possession of certain types of weapons. Right now, federal law outlaws certain weapons -- machine guns, shoulder-fired rocket launchers and other items that clearly are weapons of war.. We need to add to that the AR-15, AK-47 and similar firearms.

ATF bans import of multiple firearms for non-sporting purposes. please see https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/guide/atf-guidebook-importation-verification-firearms-ammunition-and-implements-war/download
Additionally AR-15 are domestic products not foreign.

-- ban ghost guns and the sale, manufacture and possession of the parts.

Good luck, if you are banning sale, manufacture and possession of the parts, you have effectively done what I stated ban manufacture of all firearms.

-- same ban for high-capacity magazines. My Weatherby and Remington rifles do just fine with 4-round magazines. If you need 20 rounds for deer hunting, you need to take up needlepoint. 10 rounds in a pistol; 5 in a pump or semi-auto shotgun.

Again, just ban manufacture of all firearms and you are done. Don't need to ban high capacity magazines when all magazines are banned.

-- establish a turn-in bounty with a deadline. Turn in your AR-15 to a designated location, receive a check for $750; ditto for other banned weapons and magazines. Establish a 3 or 4 year grace period, after which possession gets a jail sentence.

I had a chuckle at this one. Offering $750 turn in bounty for an AR-15 firearm currently selling for $2300-$3000 from the big manufacturers. $3000 is a good starting point for a turn in bounty. After banning the manufacture of all firearms enacted.

I do not see any of the above happening, Democrats will not win another election after destroying an entire manufacturing sector.
And it would be difficult to win another war after banning the manufacture of all firearms.
Oh and I'm not dancing around the subject, if you are banning for domestic possession, might as well ban law enforcement possession, and federal possession. That includes our military as well.
Because if I am no longer legal to own or possess a firearm, why should law enforcement and military have that capability.

[jaxexpat]

4. I'd like to see Democrats get in front of this. It will fail. It's failure is QOP opposition.

Democrats must force the media to repeat this fact as often as they can.

[KS Toronado]

5. I'd like to see a national database for the serial #'s of all assault type weapons

During a background check we could record the serial # of that gun sold. We should require everyone who owns
an assault type weapon to register their serial number(s) into the national database, and allow them 60/90 days
to do so. Our home grown criminal types will refuse to comply of course. So after the grace period of registering
your assault type weapon, whenever law enforcement comes across unregistered AR15's, AK47's, they take said
weapons to be destroyed and whoever was in possession of the weapon gets to go to court for a healthy fine.

[JT45242]

6. Force the R's to run against their votes on issues with popular support

For years -- they have been able to hide behind McConnell's grim reaper approach.

We force them to vote yea or nay on every proposal that has broad bipartisan approval.

1. Covid relief
2. Increased minimum wage
3. Gun control
4. Voting rights

There are many more issues but we make them go on the record voting against things that would help their constituents.

[c-rational]

7. +1- Excellent point. Force the vote for the record.

[Chili Pepper]

9. My sentiments exactly

If these popular proposed legislations don't pass, hang this onto each of the R's running for re-election. And be relentless.

[shenmue]

8. YAY

[BlueIdaho]

11. Full Speed Ahead! nt.

[BobTheSubgenius]

12. Godspeed, Senator Murphy.

America can't go on giving in to the 7%.

[Martin68]

13. I wish him well.