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House passes two gun safety measures; NCJW rejects troubling provisions added

After more than a decade, the House of Representatives considered and passed two important gun safety bills that would address gaps in current law. NCJW CEO Nancy K. Kaufman released the following statement:

“It’s about time the federal government followed the lead of the states, where gun violence prevention bills have passed from coast to coast. Today, we applaud House passage of HR 1112, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019, which would provide additional time to allow a background check to be completed before a firearm sale. Though NCJW opposes troubling language added which stigmatizes the mentally ill, HR 1112 is an important step towards addressing a loophole that allows licensed dealers to sell a gun after three business days even if a background check hasn’t been completed.

“And yesterday, the House passed HR 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which would require a background check on every gun sale or transfer, with exceptions for gifts to family members, hunting, target shooting, and self-defense. While NCJW supports the main purpose of this bill, we cannot support the irrelevant language added as an amendment requiring notification of Immigration and Customs Enforcement when an undocumented immigrant attempts to purchase a gun. We look forward to working with the Senate to pass Senator Chris Murphy’s (D-CT) clean universal background checks bill.

“While we’re disappointed that when the House had a chance to act they chose to move forward at the expense of immigrants and the mentally ill, we are buoyed by movement on critical gun safety measures. NCJW has long worked for gun safety measures in Washington, DC and in states across the US and we will continue to move the needle forward so that no one has to worry about being shot at school, at a house of worship, at the movies, or while living their daily lives.”

The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. More information on Facebook and on Twitter at @NCJW.