Press Releases

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), who represents the Northern Virginia suburbs of the nation’s capital, today voted for H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which would require a background check for every gun sale, and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act, which would close the Charleston loophole.

“These bills represent the most important gun violence prevention legislation in a quarter century,” said Rep. Beyer. “Requiring a background check for every gun sale and closing the Charleston loophole are commonsense reforms that enjoy wide support among the American people, including Republicans. This legislation would absolutely save lives, and the Senate should send it to President Biden’s desk for signature with all possible haste.”

H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, would require a background check for every gun sale, and would close the gun show loophole, which was exploited by the perpetrators of the Columbine High School shooting.

The Charleston loophole was termed after the mass shooting at Charleston’s Mother Emanuel Church in 2015, in which the shooter was sold the firearms he used in the shooting despite being a prohibited person who should have been rejected by NICS, because his background check did not return a result within the statutory three-day period. H.R. 1446 would lengthen the NICS background check period to allow more time to prevent gun sales to people who are prohibited by reason of criminal record or other disqualifying factors.