Mike Thompson: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I am going to vote against this rule so we can bring up an amendment…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I am going to vote against this rule so we can bring up an amendment that will keep our constituents safe; a bill that would say if you are on the terrorist watch list, you can't buy a gun; and an amendment that says that if you buy a gun, you should have a background check. Federal law says that if you buy a gun at a licensed dealer, you have to get a background check. So about 60 percent of the guns that are purchased are purchased in a situation where a licensed dealer is involved, and they go through a background check. The reason for this is to make sure that criminals, the dangerously mentally ill, domestic abusers, and terrorists can't get their hands on firearms. It makes it more difficult for them to get their hands on firearms, so it is our first line of defense. The problem is about 40 percent of the guns that are purchased are able to go around that requirement for a background check. Now, the irony is the places where they buy them. They buy them online. They buy them at gun shows. And if you go to a gun show or if you go online, there are licensed dealers that sell guns there. And if you go to the table that the licensed dealer has and try and buy a gun, you have to get a background check. Well, if you can't pass a background check, you can go to the next table, you can find an individual selling guns at a gun show, and you can buy the same gun without going through a background check.…”