“The failure to require background checks on all sales and transfers of firearms in the United States creates dangerous loopholes, and people are paying with their lives. The purchase, acquisition or transfer of a firearm should be accompanied by critical safeguards and measures aimed at protecting public safety,” said Jasmeet Sidhu, researcher with Amnesty International USA. “This legislation, if passed, would be a historic step in protecting people from the human rights crisis of gun violence in this country.”
“It’s not too much to ask to account for criteria like a buyer’s previous criminal record, history of domestic violence, or heightened risk of harm to themselves or others before allowing them to walk out the door with a weapon that may be used to kill human beings. The laws as they are now are riddled with loopholes and failures that put everyone at risk. Universal background checks for all firearms is a common sense measure to protect everyone’s right to live in safety.”