Dear Neighbor,

Like far too many communities across America, Northern Virginia is no stranger to the pain and loss wrought by mass shootings. Indeed, it’s difficult to find an American whose life has not been touched in some way by the scourge of gun violence that has gripped this country for decades.

I was Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors during the Virginia Tech massacre. I, like so many of our neighbors, will never forget the six young people we buried in the wake of that horrific day.

It is in their memory that, today, I will proudly vote for H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act. These long-overdue bills will strengthen and expand the federal background checks system by finally closing the deadly loopholes that allow guns to fall into the wrong hands.

These are bipartisan, commonsense ideas, and they will save lives. Here’s how:

H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act:

The purpose of H.R. 8 is straightforward: to ensure that individuals already prohibited from gun possession under federal law, such as felons and domestic abusers, are not able to obtain firearms.  The bill does this by closing a dangerous background check loophole that exempts unlicensed gun sellers –people who sell guns online, at gun shows, or person-to-person without a federal dealer’s license – from having to perform any background check whatsoever before selling a firearm. 

The bill would require a background check for every gun sale or transfer, with some carefully defined exceptions such as gifts to family members and temporary transfers for purposes such as hunting, target shooting, and self-defense.

Federal law already requires licensed gun dealers to conduct background checks on gun purchasers or transferees.  H.R. 8 extends the requirement of background checks to unlicensed gun sellers.  Under H.R. 8, unlicensed gun sellers would meet their buyers at a licensed gun dealer, who would run a background check using the same process already used for sales from their own inventory.

H.R. 1446, Enhanced Background Checks Act:

This commonsense bill would address the so-called “Charleston Loophole,” which currently allows the sale of a firearm to proceed if a background check is not completed within three business days. 

H.R. 1446 provides the FBI with crucial additional time to complete a background check on a potential firearms purchaser before a licensed dealer can transfer a gun.

First, the bill extends the initial background check review period from 3 business days to 10 business days.

After the initial 10-business day period, if a background check has not been completed, a purchaser may request an escalated review by the FBI.

This request for an escalated review will trigger a more intensive FBI investigation, designed to resolve the case within an additional 10-business day period.  If the additional 10 business days elapse without a response from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) system, then the dealer may sell or transfer the gun to the purchaser.  Transactions for prospective purchasers who do not request an escalated review will not proceed until the case is resolved. 

I've long said that there are three fundamental components to gun reform -- the ABCs of gun control: Assault weapons ban, Background checks on gun sales, and Closing the gun show loophole. To that end, I am proud to cosponsor an additional package of more extensive gun control legislation:

• Assault Weapons Ban – Bans the sale, transfer, production, and importation of all semiautomatic rifles and pistols that can accept a detachable magazine and have at least one military feature.  
• High-Speed Gunfire Prevention Act – Prohibits possession, manufacture, shipment, or transport of a trigger crank, a bump-fire stock, or any device that is designed or functions to accelerate the rate of fire of a semiautomatic weapon but not convert the semiautomatic weapon into a machinegun.
• Untraceable Firearms Act – Prohibits the manufacture or possession of plastic 3-D guns that would be undetectable by traditional security measures like metal detectors and “ghost guns” that are untraceable because they are assembled with parts that do not have a serial number.
• Unlawful Gun Buyer Alert Act – Requires notice to the local FBI field office and state/local law enforcement agencies when a firearm is transferred to a person who is subsequently determined to be prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm.
• Disarm Hate Act – Prohibits possession, shipment, or transport of a firearm by an individual who has been convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime.
• End Purchase of Firearms by Dangerous Individuals Act – Requires states to establish reporting system for mental health professionals concerning individuals (1) who are committed to a mental institution on a voluntary basis, or who are temporarily committed or held on an involuntary basis, and who are determined to be a danger to themselves or others; or (2) who communicates to a mental health professional a serious threat of violence against another individual who is reasonably identifiable.
• Fire Sale Loophole Closing Act – Ends the loophole that allows gun dealers whose licenses are revoked from converting their inventory to personal collections to be sold without conducting background checks on purchasers.  

When they had majorities in Congress, Republicans may have been comfortable sitting idly by while thousands were killed or injured by our gun violence epidemic.

House Democrats are not.

We cannot afford to wait any longer. We are taking action – today.

Please take care of yourselves and each other. As always, my office stands ready to help if you or a loved one need assistance. Please don't hesitate to call us at (703) 256-3071, or visit my website here.