Mike Thompson: “Now, I want to emphasize there is nothing about either one of our measures--as a matter of fact, they are Republican…”

“Now, I want to emphasize there is nothing about either one of our measures--as a matter of fact, they are Republican bills that we are trying to bring to the floor--there is nothing about either one of them that is against the Second Amendment. I am a gun owner. I believe strongly in the Second Amendment. And the Supreme Court spelled out specifically in the Heller decision that individuals have a right to own firearms. But they also said that there can be certain restrictions, restrictions such as criminals, terrorists, domestic abusers, dangerously mentally ill; they can't have guns. Well, you can't do that unless you have a background check. Now, 70 of my friends across the aisle voted to augment the funding for the background check system, $20 million they voted to add to the system. How can you vote to fund a system, spend 20 million taxpayer dollars to fund a system that you won't require people to use? It is absurd. What are you afraid of? What are you afraid of that you won't bring this bill to the floor for a vote?”