Meehan Weighs in on 'Toomey Compromise' on Guns

Congressman Pat Meehan (R-PA7) issued a statement Wednesday afternoon following the announcement of a compromise gun bill scheduled for deabte Thursday in the U.S. Senate.

Meehan, a former U.S. Attorney for Southeastern Pennsylvania and former Delaware County District Attorney praised the compromise bill brokered by Pennsylvania Republican Senator Pat Toomey and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

“I support Senator Toomey's plan and thank him for his hard work. The bipartisan agreement accomplishes the goals I set out at the beginning of this debate: it takes effective steps to keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them, and it protects the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans,” said Rep. Meehan.

The bipartisan compromise legislation will require background checks for all gun sales online, at gun shows and through classified advertisements. It includes an exemption for sales between friends and family members and covers only gun sales advertised publically or sold at a gun show. It will prohibit the creation of a national gun registry by requiring the FBI to destroy data identifying the purchaser of a gun.

 "This common-sense agreement protects family transfers, and it builds on existing Pennsylvania and federal background check laws. Importantly, it ensures no federal gun registry is created and it does not impose federal bureaucratic mandates on private citizens exercising their constitutional rights. It's what I've long fought for, and worked closely with advocates on all sides to achieve. Senate Democrats and Republicans should support it,” Meehan said.

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