WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) today joined Representatives Mike Thompson (CA-05), Pete King (NY-02), Jerry Nadler (NY-10), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Fred Upton (MI-06), Lucy McBath (GA-06) and Chris Smith (NJ-04) in introducing H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, which requires background checks on all firearm sales.

“Serving in the military, I held my fellow soldiers as the last breath went out of them. Our students, teachers, parishioners, mothers, fathers or any other civilian should never have to confront this tragedy,” Rep. Mast said. “As Members of Congress, we weren’t sent to Washington to do just what’s easy — we were sent here to take action and that's exactly what this bill is: a unified effort to save lives."

The 10 bipartisan, original coauthors introduced this legislation on the eighth anniversary of the Tucson shooting where 6 were killed and 13 were wounded by gunfire, including Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

“Since the inception of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force after the shooting at Sandy Hook, we have been working across the aisle to help prevent gun violence. Today we take a decisive step forward to help save lives right away. As a gun owner, hunter and supporter of the Second Amendment, I am honored to join with Democratic and Republican colleagues to introduce my universal background checks bill that will help keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them,” Rep. Thompson said. “From the public polling to the ballot box, the American people have spoken up and demanded action to help end the tragedy of gun violence that far too many in our country face every day. We will continue our fight and we will deliver.”

“There is no single law that can put an end to mass shootings or gun violence, but there are certainly proactive steps we can take to keep guns out of the hands of felons, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mentally ill. When background checks are used, they keep guns out of the hands of people we all agree shouldn’t have guns,” Rep. King said. “As government officials it is our responsibility to protect our citizens, and when it comes to gun violence we must do more. The overwhelming majority of Americans want to see action, and we owe it to the victims and their families to prevent such tragedies from occurring again.”

Bill text is available here.

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