Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Praises Announcement of Senate Judiciary Hearing as Opportunity to Keep Focus on Passing Universal Background Checks
Washington, DC — Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, founder of the gun safety group Giffords, praised Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) for announcing a hearing to discuss the gun violence crisis and necessary solutions on March 23rd. Giffords noted the hearing is an opportunity to keep momentum up for passing universal background checks through the Senate while highlighting other initiatives like funding for community violence intervention programs or extreme risk laws that need swift action.
Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords:
“Our momentum continues. I applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee for moving forward to advance workable, meaningful solutions to gun violence, like universal background checks. With last week’s bipartisan passage of H.R 8 through the House, the hearing is an unmistakable sign of progress in our fight to enact commonsense gun safety legislation that will keep our kids and communities safe.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to announce witnesses who will testify and take questions in the coming days.
Earlier this month the House passed H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act with bipartisan support. Neither H.R. 8 nor it’s companion legislation in the Senate, S. 529, the Background Checks Expansion Act, has yet to be considered. The passage of the House bill comes as communities across the country grapple with the devastation from surges in gun violence. House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chairman Mike Thompson (D-CA) introduced H.R. 8 with a bipartisan group of gun safety champions, and the Senate version was introduced by Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT).
Even before the coronavirus, gun violence was a serious crisis in the United States, with about 38,000 people dying from firearms in 2019. This crisis has a disproportionate impact on communities of color, particularly Black communities. Experts attribute this ongoing tragedy to our weak system of national gun laws, which is riddled with loopholes. The biggest of these loopholes concerns the background checks requirement.
One glaring example of this flaw occurred on August 31, 2019, when a gunman opened fire on multiple locations in Odessa and Midland, Texas, killing seven and injuring at least 25. The shooter had previously failed a background check when trying to purchase a gun but was able to bypass the background check system altogether and obtain an AR-style weapon from an unlicensed seller.
During the past year, the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated public health crises in which guns often play a lethal role, including suicides, domestic violence, and community violence. The lack of a background check requirement as gun sales are surging puts Americans at even greater risk. The impact of the pandemic, along with racial inequity and the Capitol insurrection are explored in our latest report, which details how these deadly trends prove the need for background checks.
Giffords Efforts to Pass H.R. 8 and H.R. 1112 in 2019
H.R. 8 was introduced on January 8th, 2019, which also marked the eighth anniversary of the Tucson shooting. Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords joined Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Thompson for a press conference on Capitol Hill to unveil the legislation. In the weeks after, Giffords publicly advocated for swift passage of the bill. Giffords elevated the voices of Americans demanding action by teaming up with March for Our Lives, Town Hall Project, TOMS, and Levi’s to host a nationwide series of Gun Safety Town Halls rallying support for H.R. 8.
On February 27, 2019, the House passed H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, to require a background check on every gun sale or transfer. A day later they cleared H.R. 1112, the Enhanced Background Checks Act, to provide the FBI additional time to complete background checks and prevent prohibited people from obtaining guns. Then-Leader McConnell blocked the passage of H.R. 8 and H.R. 1112, refusing to bring any proposals from the other chamber up for debate or consideration.
RESOURCES:
- FACT SHEET:The Bipartisan Background Checks Act
- FACT SHEET:Background Checks Myths Debunked