ARS Statement On Vote To Weaken The National Instant Criminal Background Check System, Make Communities Less Safe

February 15, 2017 —  Americans for Responsible Solutions, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Navy combat veteran and NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly, issued the below statement today on the Senate passage of S.J. Res. 14, a dangerous proposal that would revoke the finalized Social Security Administration rule that requires the agency to report the names of certain beneficiaries with fiduciaries and severe mental impairments to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

STATEMENT BY PETER AMBLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AMERICANS FOR RESPONSIBLE SOLUTIONS

“Following the shooting at Virginia Tech, President George W. Bush signed the bipartisan NICS Improvement Amendments Act (NIAA) of 2007, which sought to ensure individuals who are ineligible to possess guns for mental health or other reasons could be easily identified through the background check system. While some people who are severely impaired by mental illness or other mental conditions are able to handle the responsibilities of gun ownership without undue risk to themselves or to public safety, others are not. Last year, the Social Security Administration finalized a rule that addresses an important objective of the NIAA: to prevent individuals who are unable to safely handle firearms, or those who may pose a threat to themselves or others, from having access to firearms.

“Today, the United States Senate passed a irresponsible proposal that would revoke this rule, weaken the current background check system, and make our communities less safe. This resolution also sets a dangerous precedent for our federal gun laws by preventing future Administrative action on this issue.”