Captain Mark Kelly Statement on Increased Funding for the Background Checks System in the Omnibus Appropriations Bill

December 10, 2014 – Captain Mark Kelly, Co-Founder of Americans for Responsible Solutions, issued the following statement today on the $73 million included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 83) to strengthen the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) by helping states improve records submissions. The funding in the FY 2015 bill represents a $14.5 million increase in funding from FY 2014 levels. Earlier this year, Americans for Responsible Solutions worked to craft and pass a bipartisan amendment cosponsored by Congressman Peter King (R-NY) and Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) that passed with the support of more than 75 House Republicans. Capt. Kelly’s statement:

“Our national background check system for gun sales is only as good as the records of the dangerous people that it contains. That’s why it’s good news that leaders from both sides of the aisle have come together to provide states with the money they need to ensure that convicted felons, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mentally ill can’t access guns. Members of Congress of all political stripes should come together to support this funding.

“This increased investment in our background check system is badly needed. This year, the U.S. Department of Justice has received more than $78 million in requests for NICS improvement funding, but couldn’t fund a whole quarter of projected need. The additional funding in this bipartisan funding bill will help fill that gap by providing additional funds to meet demand from states, get additional records of dangerous people into our gun background checks system, and save lives. This is another important step in the right direction on the heels of the bipartisan Thompson-King amendment that increased funding for background checks and was approved overwhelmingly by the House earlier this year.”

###