Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the legislation we are considering today.

In cities across America, violent crime has increased; and in cities across America, laws already exist to severely punish violent criminals. But despite this, we are seeing local elected officials, district attorneys, and prosecutors refuse to enforce existing laws and police who are continuously held back from doing their jobs.

Instead of offering real solutions to improve public safety, it seems the majority is determined to punish law-abiding citizens while doing nothing to actually close loopholes in the system.

If the bills we are considering were really stopping gun crimes and violent offenders from owning guns, then my amendment would be one we are discussing today, to prevent minors aged 15 to 17 who have committed violent crimes from having their records expunged and thereby able to purchase a firearm.

But rather than take up my amendment to prevent felons from sidestepping our laws, the majority felt it more critical for public safety to expand background checks to ranchers and farmers with pest control issues. This is absurd.

Nothing in H.R. 1446 or H.R. 8 would prevent those seeking to harm others from acquiring firearms. The people of my district deserve better than this, which is why I will be introducing legislation that will actually prevent violent criminals from clearing their record.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill and side with law-abiding Americans and side with those of us who want to take guns out of the hands of violent criminals.

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