Blumenthal Joins Murphy, Congressional Leaders at Press Conference Marking House Passage of Universal Background Checks, Charleston Loophole

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Earlier today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Congressional leaders in the fight against gun violence at a press conference to mark the House of Representatives’ passage of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act. Both bills – the first to establish universal background checks and the second to close the Charleston Loophole – were approved in a bipartisan vote. Blumenthal led the introduction of companion legislation to close the Charleston Loophole in the Senate last week.

Video of Blumenthal’s remarks is available here and a transcript is copied below.

“Thank you, Whip Clyburn. I am really honored to be here. Madam Speaker, thank you for your leadership, thank you to Mike Thompson and Lucy McBath and Sheila Jackson Lee and thank you for your extraordinary courage, and thanks as well to my great colleague Chris Murphy. He and I have been a team on this issue since his election to the Senate and Sandy Hook.

You know, listening to Jim Clyburn on the Floor yesterday I was so moved, because clearly nine people would be alive today, literally, nine people, members of that congregation, would be almost certainly alive today if that killer had not taken advantage of the Charleston Loophole, a glaring gap in our laws.

There is no reason that people should not wait a day or two or three to buy a gun so that a check can be done on them. And there is a principle at work here – support for universal background checks is nearly universal. Almost everybody in the country including gun owners, NRA members, want it, and the principle should be no check, no sale. No check, no gun. That’s the way to make America safer.

And I think with the leadership of our great leader Senator Schumer, we have a real opportunity to make history here.

I’m asked often what has changed since Sandy Hook? We have a growing grassroots political movement with leaders at the local level changing history and we have House members who have run on this issue, who have not just answered questions, they’ve made it a priority. And so I think the implosion of the NRA, the growing support among the American people, and the inevitability of increased support gives us an opportunity we haven’t had before.

We need not only background checks and closing the Charleston loophole, but also emergency risk protection orders; safe storage, Ethan’s Law; repeal of PLCAA; a number of measures that provide a comprehensive solution. There’s no singular cure but I think we can do it with the kind of support we’re seeing this morning and I’m very pleased now and honored to introduce one of the true champions of gun violence protection, my mentor and model and leader, Senator Schumer of New York.”

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