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Today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) joined Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chairman Mike Thompson (D-CA) and 212 Members of the House Democratic Caucus wrote to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell demanding he immediately call the Senate back into session to pass H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, and H.R. 1112, the Enhanced Background Checks Act. Both these bipartisan bills were passed by the House in February of this year and have been blocked for a vote by McConnell for more than 160 days.

A copy of the letter is below.

Dear Leader McConnell:

We strongly urge you to take immediate action to call the Senate back into session to pass H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and H.R 1112, the Enhanced Background Checks Act.

In February, the new Democratic House Majority took swift action to pass these bipartisan bills which not only save lives, but also has the support of more than 90 percent of the American people.  Since that time, you have allowed more than 150 days to pass and countless lives have been lost including those most recently lost in Gilroy, California, El Paso, Texas, Dayton, Ohio, Chicago, Illinois and the many others who will never make the headlines. 

This inaction must stop. We know background checks save lives.  Every day background checks stop more than 170 felons and 50 domestic abusers from getting a gun.  Any delay to pass commonsense gun violence prevention legislation only increases the chances that more innocent people in America may suffer from the tragic and needless loss caused by gun violence.

Again, we urge you to follow the leadership of the House Democratic Majority and immediately come back into session to pass H.R 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and H.R. 1112, the Enhanced Background Checks Act, that could prevent dangerous criminals from obtaining weapons and save lives.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter of great urgency to the American people.

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