Measure seeks to bolster firearms purchasing laws

Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-DE), and John Cornyn (R-TX) reintroduced a bill designed to aid states in enforcing existing laws against individuals attempting to purchase firearms by lying on background checks.

The NICS Denial Notification Act would require federal authorities to notify state and local law enforcement within 24 hours when an ineligible individual tries to purchase a firearm and fails a background check.

“Those caught lying on firearm background checks are more likely to be looking to harm others and have no business obtaining a dangerous weapon,” Carper said. “We must be doing far more to make sure guns are not getting into the wrong hands and being used in the senseless shootings that have become far too common in this country. By codifying new coordination between the federal and state governments, this bipartisan legislation takes a common-sense step towards preventing these senseless tragedies.”

The bill is also co-sponsored by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Susan Collins (R-ME), James Lankford (R-OK), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Joe Manchin (D-WV).

“We have seen too many tragic instances where an individual who should not have been able to obtain a gun used a firearm to commit horrible acts of violence,” Coons said. “Gun violence continues to plague our communities in Delaware and across the country, and the NICS Denial Notification Act is one commonsense step in the effort to prevent these terrible crimes. Ensuring that federal and state law enforcement work together to stop those who are prohibited from buying a gun from getting one will help make our neighborhoods safer.”

In 37 states and the District of Columbia, local authorities generally are not aware when a person fails a background check.