Lincoln Chafee: “today, Senator Durbin and I are introducing ``Permanent Brady,'' which would establish a mandatory 3 day cooling off…”

“today, Senator Durbin and I are introducing ``Permanent Brady,'' which would establish a mandatory 3 day cooling off period before the purchase of a handgun. I am under no illusion that Permanent Brady will cure the problem of handgun violence. But I do believe a waiting period helps. Prior to enactment of the Brady law, in some States, an individual could walk into a gun store and walk out with a handgun a few minutes later. Sure, the individual had to fill out a form certifying that he or she had not been convicted of a felony and is not mentally incompetent. But that form was meaningless until the police had a chance to check to see if the information provided was accurate. Now, the FBI has instituted an insta-check system, which is working well. But a permanent three-day waiting period gives local police the chance to conduct a check that could turn up information not known to the FBI. For example, local police could be aware of a restraining order against an individual for domestic violence, or could be aware of a potential gun purchaser's mental instability. A waiting period also can help prevent people temporarily under the influence of powerful emotions, drugs, or alcohol from obtaining a handgun on impulse, thereby giving them a time to ``cool off'' and reconsider before they do something rash.”