Washington, D.C. — Center for American Progress Executive Vice President for External Affairs Winnie Stachelberg issued the following statement following the Senate majority’s rejection of a number of common-sense gun violence prevention proposals this afternoon:
Once again, in the wake of a horrific mass shooting in America—this time at a gay nightclub in Orlando during Pride Month, where 49 people were killed and 53 were injured, mostly from the Latino lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community—a majority of senators rejected two common-sense measures that would help prevent individuals who pose a risk to community safety from continuing to have easy access to guns, including highly dangerous weapons of war. Americans have been forced to confront gun violence far too often—in elementary schools, movie theaters, churches, and communities affected by this violence every day. The American people overwhelmingly support common-sense policies such as requiring background checks for all gun sales and preventing known terror suspects from buying guns, which would begin to close the gaps in our laws that leave our communities vulnerable to gun violence. Yet a majority in the U.S. Senate persist in protecting the gun lobby rather than the American people.
Among the common-sense gun amendments rejected by this Senate majority today was a measure to close the private sale loophole that allows roughly 40 percent of gun sales to occur without a background check and that would require individuals to promptly report to law enforcement if a gun in their possession were lost or stolen. A majority of senators also rejected a measure that would give the U.S. attorney general the discretion to prevent known terror suspects from buying guns.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Tom Caiazza at [email protected] or 202.481.7141.