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Washington, DC -- Today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) voted to pass H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act to require a background check for every gun sale or transfer, and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021, to close the Charleston Loophole.

“For too long, horrific acts of gun violence have been met with thoughts and prayers and no action,” said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. “Our efforts today to pass universal background checks and close the Charleston Loophole will save lives, make our communities safer, and take an overdue and major step in our fight to end the gun violence epidemic. Universal background checks are backed by over 90% of Americans and are a proven, common sense way to keep guns out of the hands of those who are a danger to public safety.”

Background checks are supported by over 90% of the American public, including 90% of gun-owning households. Since background checks were first instituted in 1994, they have stopped more than 3 million dangerous individuals from acquiring a firearm, such as convicted felons, domestic abusers, and fugitives.

H.R. 8 closes loopholes that allow firearms to be sold at gun shows, online, or person-to-person without a background check. Up to 80% of firearms are sold without background checks due to these and other loopholes. The House also passed H.R. 1446, legislation today to close the Charleston Loophole, in which firearms are allowed to be sold without the completion of a background check if law enforcement takes longer than three business days to conclude its investigation. In the 2017 Emanuel A.M.E. Church shooting, the shooter was legally prohibited from having a firearm, but was able to complete the purchase because his background check was not completed within that three day period.

Approximately 100 Americans are killed by gun violence everyday in America. The gun violence crisis has only grown worse during the ongoing COVID pandemic -- 2020 saw the highest recorded number of mass shootings. Last year also marked a record for gun sales, which spiked amid the pandemic and political unrest, and January 2021 set a record for most sales in a month.

Yesterday, Congresswoman Wexton introduced the Empowering Law Enforcement for Safer Firearm Transfers Act, legislation to enable local law enforcement to block the sale or transfer of any weapon regulation under the National Firearms Act (NFA) if an individual poses a threat to public safety.

The full text of H.R. 8 can be found here.

The full text of H.R. 1446 can be found here.

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