On the recordJune 15, 2016
I thank the Senator for that question. I talked to Senator Manchin about this earlier today. Much of the concern that I hear from individuals is that it is somehow a slippery slope that eventually leads to the government confiscating weapons. That is a mythology that has been created out of whole cloth by individuals who have something to gain from selling the story of perpetual fear of the government. Of course there is no evidence in the history of the national criminal background check system that is the case. So I think the root of people's opposition is in a fear about a hidden agenda of the government, which we know is simply not the truth. All the criminal background check systems do is protect the public by keeping guns out of the hands of violent criminals. I yield for the question.
