Dec 7 2017

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fix NICS Act, bipartisan legislation to ensure federal and state authorities comply with existing law and accurately report relevant criminal history records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). A coalition of leading Second Amendment, domestic violence, and law enforcement groups have endorsed the legislation, and multiple Editorial Boards have voiced their support.
 
Winston-Salem Journal: “Sen. Thom Tillis has co-sponsored a bipartisan bill that introduces reasonable gun-control to address situations like November’s Texas church shooting. The bill is a good start that just might get through.
 
The Fix NICS Act would ensure “federal and state authorities comply with existing law and accurately report relevant criminal history records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).” The bill would penalize federal agencies that fail to properly report relevant records and provides incentives for states to improve their overall reporting.
 
After the horrifying church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, it was discovered that the shooter had been court-martialed for a domestic violence incident. The Air Force failed to enter the court-martial into a federal database as the law required, The Associated Press reported. That might have blocked him from buying the rifle he used to kill 26 people.
 
…If that’s not a bipartisan miracle, we don’t know what is. Kudos to Tillis and his colleagues for working across the aisle to seek a practical solution to this very real problem. This is a good start.” (Winston-Salem Journal, “Our View: A Common-sense gun bill,” 12/03/17)
 
NRA: “We applaud Sen. John Cornyn’s efforts to ensure that the records of prohibited individuals are entered into NICS, while providing a relief valve for those who are wrongly included in the system.” (Executive Director Chris Cox, National Rifle Association of America, 11/16/17)
 
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: “The Fix NICS Act is a demonstration of Congressional unity, bringing together not only legislators from both sides of the aisle but also taking meaningful action supported by a diverse cross-section of individuals and organizations.” (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Letter to Sen. Cornyn, 11/16/17)
 
Fraternal Order of Police: “Tragically, recent events have showed us that Federal agencies and State governments have too often failed to upload all relevant information to the NICS, allowing the illegal sale of a firearm.  This bill will address this issue in a comprehensive way.” (Fraternal Order of Police, Letter to Sen. Cornyn, 11/16/17)
 
New York Times: “The new bill, called the Fix NICS Act, is the rare piece of gun legislation that has no meaningful opposition and that has bipartisan support.” (New York Times, “The Pentagon’s Indifference to Gun Safety,” 11/29/17)
 
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