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Gun Control Legislation Moves Forward in House, Gets Support from 5 Republicans

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The Democratic majority House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to advance a bill that was co-sponsored by Democrats and five Republicans that would require universal background checks on gun purchases, according to The Hill.

Currently, only licensed retailers are required to conduct background checks on those who purchase firearms.

Should this legislation move forward, even unlicensed private sellers, whether through an online transaction or at a gun show, would also be required to conduct the checks.

The legislation is titled the “Bipartisan Background Checks Act.”

According to The Hill, the bill is sponsored by Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson of California and Republican Representative Peter King of New York.

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It is also supported by Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Brian Mast of Florida, Fred Upton of Michigan and Chris Smith of New Jersey.

The bill passed out of the committee on Wednesday evening, the day before the one-year anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, shooting that took the lives of 17.

Rep. Ted Deutch, the Florida Democrat who represents area Parkland area, made an impassioned plea to his fellow Judiciary Committee members, according to National Review.

“It happened,” Deutch said. “Now, our responsibility is to do everything we can to make sure it never happens again.”

While Democrats have been clear that they believe universal background checks will help curb mass shootings, according to National Review, a series of exemptions were proposed by Republicans, including situations involving someone giving a firearm to a friend as a gift.

Those exemptions were rejected by Democrats, however, and as the bill stands currently, anyone who wished to transfer ownership of a gun to another person would need to visit a licensed dealer in order to obtain a background check.

“It is time to close this dangerous loophole,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, according to The Hill.

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“This is long-overdue legislation that will help address our national crisis of gun violence.”

There is, however, an exemption that includes the right to temporarily transfer a weapon if deemed “necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, if the possession by the transferee lasts only as long as immediately necessary to prevent the imminent death or great bodily harm,” according to National Review.

The legislation also offers an exception for gifts between family members, and the loan or temporary transfer for use hunting or at a shooting range.

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Savannah Pointer is a constitutional originalist whose main goal is to keep the wool from being pulled over your eyes. She believes that the liberal agenda will always depend on Americans being uneducated and easy to manipulate. Her mission is to present the news in a straightforward yet engaging manner.
Savannah Pointer is a constitutional originalist whose professional career has been focused on bringing accuracy and integrity to her readers. She believes that the liberal agenda functions best in a shroud of half truths and misdirection, and depends on the American people being uneducated.

Savannah believes that it is the job of journalists to make sure the facts are the focus of every news story, and that answering the questions readers have, before they have them, is what will educate those whose voting decisions shape the future of this country.

Savannah believes that we must stay as informed as possible because when it comes to Washington "this is our circus, and those are our monkeys."
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