Later today, the U.S. Senate is expected to begin debate on gun-control legislation including The Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act, S. Amdt. 715, proposed by Sens. Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Toomey (R-Pa.) that will hurt our industry and infringe upon your Second Amendment Rights. Your senators need to hear from you now!
The Manchin-Toomey Amendment, which is co-sponsored by anti-gun Sens. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Kirk (R-lll.), would effectively shut down all storefront National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) checks on weekends by requiring that gun show checks must be COMPLETED before any store check can be completed.
Prioritizing gun show checks over storefront checks will harm firearms retailers’ businesses. Weekends, when gun shows take place, are the busiest time for storefront retailers who will not be able to run background checks for their customers. The Second Amendment rights of customers at gun shops are just as important as those of gun show attendees. Congress should provide adequate resources to NICS so that ALL background checks are done instantly.
The Manchin-Toomey measure, S. Amdt. 715, also does not address critical product liability concerns for retailers processing private party transfers and imposes record-keeping responsibilities that could result in license revocation for even simple mistakes. Tell your senators not to put retailers’ livelihoods on the line.
Instead, urge senators to vote YES on Sen. Grassley’s (R-Iowa) proposal which is supported by NSSF. This positive measure would help Fix NICS and improve current law, without expanding background checks that punish retailers and infringe on the Second Amendment. Your senators need to hear from you in support of the real solutions in the Grassley measure.
Find and call your U.S. senators here, http://www.capwiz.com/nssf/callalert/index.tt?alertid=62593071, or dial 202-224-3121, and tell them to VOTE NO on the flawed Manchin-Toomey Amendment and YES on the solution-based Grassley alternative.
