Rep. Robin Kelly Presides Over Passage of Gun Violence Prevention Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Robin Kelly today released the following statement regarding House passage of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021, and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021.

"This morning I had the honor of presiding over the House floor as we voted to pass critical gun violence prevention legislation," said Congresswoman Kelly. "My district knows too well the heartbreak and devastation caused by gun violence. Each of these measures passed today will improve our background checks process to ensure that firearms do not fall into the hands of people who are a danger to themselves or others. Young or old, Republican or Democrat, regardless of race, there is broad support for addressing the growing gun violence epidemic in this country. Today we have taken a step in the right direction, but we cannot let this be the end of our work to stop gun violence. I will continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to save lives and keep our constituents safe."

H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021, would require a background check for every gun sale or transfer, with some reasonable and explicit exceptions that, for example, allow a person: to give a gun as a gift to a family member; loan a gun for hunting or target shooting; or temporarily transfer a gun for self-defense.

H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021, 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. This bill would extend the background check period to 10 business days, allowing federal investigators more time to complete a thorough investigation.

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