Rep. Beyer today cast his vote for H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, introduced by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA). The bill, which would extend a federal requirement of background checks to cover firearm sales from unlicensed sellers including gun shows and internet vendors, passed with bipartisan support.
Rep. Beyer said:
“At last.
“The House just passed some of the most meaningful gun violence prevention legislation in a quarter century. I’m thrilled to have been a part of this effort, which was a long time in coming.
“Today is a huge win for the vast majority of the American people who wanted expanded background checks for years, but were blocked by the gun lobby and its allies in Congress. The country wanted change, and the fact that we got this done so early in the year shows how important it was to our Caucus to deliver on this promise.
“I want to thank everyone in my district and across the country whose hard work made this historic moment possible. Thank you for your efforts, which I hope you will continue. We have much more work to do together to end the epidemic of gun violence in the United States.”
Beyer cast his vote while wearing a pin presented to him by his constituent Carmen Lodato, of Alexandria, to honor the memory of her mother Ruthanne, a victim of gun violence.
Rep. Beyer has been a vocal advocate for legislation to prevent gun violence since taking office in 2015. He is a lead cosponsor of the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act, an original cosponsor of the Assault Weapons Ban, and the author of the Keeping Guns from Criminals Act. He participated in the 2016 House Sit-In, and is a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.
