Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8 is brought to us by the same organizations and politicians who have made no secret of their intention ultimately to strip law-abiding citizens of their right to defend themselves. Now, they know they can't do it outright, so they do it through cynical measures like this, which weave a web of laws so intricate that, sooner or later, everyone can be caught up in them.

This law affects not only sales but any transfer of a weapon for any period of time. A couple of years ago, a 10-year study by Johns Hopkins and UC Davis concluded that California's background check law had no effect on gun homicides or suicides. None.

The purpose of this bill is not public safety. That is its deceptive facade. Its purpose is to make gun ownership so legally hazardous, so fraught with legal boobytraps and draconian penalties, that no honest and law-abiding citizen would ever want to take the risk.

Most criminals already get their guns illegally. They are unconstrained by laws like this. This bill is aimed squarely at law- abiding citizens, moving us closer to a society where decent people are defenseless and armed criminals are kings.

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