Close the 'Terror Gap'. Protect Innocent Lives.
- Target:
- The United States Senate
- Region:
- United States of America
The tragic events in Orlando underscore once again the need for commonsense gun control in the United States. According to the Gun Violence Archive, more than 5,900 Americans have died as a result of gun violence in 2016 alone. The time for action is long overdue. We must close the 'Terror Gap' now.
Current federal law prohibits nine categories of dangerous people from purchasing or owning firearms. However, a significant gap allows suspected or known terrorists in the United States to legally buy guns.
A Government Accountability Office, or GAO, investigation found that individuals on the consolidated terror watch list passed a background check and were legally able to purchase a firearm 2,043 times between February 2004 and December 2014.
Individuals on the consolidated terror watch list attempted to purchase guns on 2,233 occasions during this period, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI, was only able to stop 10 percent from buying guns due to another disqualifying conviction or record.
In 90 percent of cases, potential terrorists passed a background check and were able to legally purchase guns.
(https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/guns-crime/report/2015/11/20/126060/fact-sheet-the-terror-gap/)
We call on Congress to stand up to the National Rifle Association and close the terror gap, denying those on the consolidated terror watch list from purchasing firearms.
Closing this gaping hole in our gun control laws will save American lives.
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The Close the 'Terror Gap'. Protect Innocent Lives. petition to The United States Senate was written by National Committee for an Effective Congress and is in the category Politics at GoPetition.