On the recordMarch 10, 2021
I thank my good friend from Ohio for yielding. Look, bottom line is, we all know that by definition criminals don't abide by the law. And that applies also when they are purchasing firearms. Nothing in this bill prohibits this type of individual from obtaining firearms. In fact, the majority of individuals in prison for committing crimes with firearms obtain their firearms through theft, the underground market, family members, and the like. But what this bill does is threaten everyday American citizens with up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine for exercising their Second Amendment right in doing common practices. To say that this does not create a national gun registry, you cannot accomplish what is in this bill without a gun registry. The reality is universal background checks do not stop mass shootings. We do not have mass shootings because of lack of background checks. This bill will not make our communities safer. In fact, what it will do is cause law-abiding citizens to lose more of their Second Amendment rights. We shouldn't be focused here in Congress in taking those rights away. We actually should be strengthening the enforcement of laws we already have to make our communities safer. I stand with the Constitution and urge my colleagues to vote against H.R. 8.
