Congresswoman Clark Applauds President Obama for Taking Action to Curb Gun Violence

WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Katherine Clark applauded President Obama’s announcement that the Administration will take executive action to help reduce and prevent gun violence in America.

In November, Clark and her Democratic colleagues sent a letter to the White House urging President Obama to close the background check loophole through executive action.

“President Obama is using his executive power to take important steps to curb gun violence, and I applaud him for these efforts,” said Rep. Clark, in a statement. “But the work to end the epidemic of gun violence in this country does not end there. Congress must act to close the remaining loopholes that allow domestic abusers, convicted criminals, and the dangerously mentally ill to buy guns and endanger our communities.”

The executive actions announced by the President today will make significant progress in the ongoing struggle to curb gun violence:

• Toughening background checks nationwide: The President’s executive actions provide new guidance on existing federal laws, clarifying that any individual in the business of selling firearms must obtain a license through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and therefore conduct background checks on prospective gun purchasers. These actions also include new measures and resources to make the background check system more efficient and effective.
• Protecting communities with bolstered enforcement: The executive actions take new steps to promote smart and effective enforcement of our gun laws – including a proposed increase in funding for more ATF agents, greater resources for tracking illegal online firearms trafficking and strengthened domestic violence outreach efforts.
• Improving mental health services: The President is proposing increased investment to expand access to mental health care. Further, the executive actions remove barriers that prevent the reporting of relevant mental health information to the background check system.
• Driving new research into gun safety: The executive actions direct the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security to conduct or sponsor research into new technology to make firearms safer.

The President’s executive actions come after the Republican Congress has repeatedly refused to allow votes on commonsense, bipartisan gun violence prevention legislation – including acting on seven separate occasions to block a vote on a Republican Congressman’s legislation to close the outrageous terror gun loophole that allows suspected terrorists to buy deadly weapons across America.

Studies show that every day where background checks are used, the system stops more than 170 felons, some 50 domestic abusers, and nearly 20 fugitives from buying a gun. However, no system is in place to prevent these same prohibited purchasers from buying identical guns at a gun show, over the internet, or through a newspaper ad with no questions asked – because background checks are not required for these kinds of sales. The King-Thompson bill closes these outrageous, dangerous loopholes.

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