Mike Levin: “on April 27, 1999, we paused in the Senate to observe a moment of silence in tribute to those who died at Columbine High…”

“on April 27, 1999, we paused in the Senate to observe a moment of silence in tribute to those who died at Columbine High School and to express our sympathy for their loved ones. Since the Littleton tragedy, over 60,000 people have been killed by guns, criminals continue to gain easy access to guns and, according to the Brady Campaign, there is an unlocked gun in one of every eight family homes. Several strong pieces of gun safety legislation have been introduced in the 107th Congress to address these problems. None, however has been adopted. In fact, none has even been voted on in the Senate. In 1994, the Brady law established the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, NICS. This check system allows federally licensed gun sellers to determine whether a person is allowed to buy a gun. Since its inception, NICS checks have prevented more than 156,000 felons, fugitives and others not eligible from purchasing a firearm without infringing upon any law-abiding citizen's ability to purchase a gun. However, a loophole in the law allows unlicenced private gun sellers to sell guns without conducting a NICS check.”