WASHINGTON — The House Judiciary Committee passed legislation known as the Bipartisan Background Check Act Thursday that would mandate background checks on all gun sale transactions and most transfers in the United States. “This is a bill that will expand criminal background checks to close the gun show loophole and close the Internet sale loophole,” Democrat Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries said of the bill. With the support of five committee Republicans and after nine hours of debate, the bill passed 21 to 14. Republicans on the Committee attempted to amend the bill. Democrats, however, voted down one such amendment that would notify ICE authorities when an illegal alien fails a background check to purchase a firearm. The last major gun control bill to be debated on Capitol Hill happened in 2013 when the Senate took up the failed Manchin-Toomey legislation, which also addressed expanded background checks. The legislation is expected to come to the House floor in the coming weeks. Questions remained, however, as to how the federal background check legislation could possibly be enforced on a federal level. (RELATED: Democrats Express Openness To Federal Gun Registry) “How would H.R. 8 be enforced? If someone obtains a gun without getting a background check, it would seem that’s not going to come to light until that gun is used,” Republican Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert said during the markup committee hearing. The Daily Caller asked Rep. Jeffries how enforcement could work with the bill and he responded, “The Department of Justice and the FBI will have primary responsibility for enforcing the requirements that we hope will be enacted into law consistent with the values of the overwhelming majority of the American people.” North Carolina Republican Rep. Richard Hudson, however, responded, “Any attorney general and any local officials could set the price for running a background check for a person so high that individuals couldn’t afford to do it.” He added, “So, what if they said it cost $5,000 to run a background check at a gun store? Well, most Americans can’t afford that,” Hudson noted. “So, those are two of the different levers that they intend to use to limit law-abiding gun owners from purchasing guns.” Follow Kerry on Twitter Kerry Picket is a host on SiriusXM Patriot 125<doc-sep>The committee spent more than nine hours debating the bill before voting 21 to 14 to advance it Wednesday night. Next, it will face a vote on the House floor. The measure was among the first actions taken by the newly elected Democratic majority, which pledged to make gun control a top issue. The bill also has the support of at least five Republicans, a rare feat given the issue often has cleaved along party lines.<doc-sep>The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday advanced legislation that would require universal background checks for gun purchases in the latest sign that Democrats are prioritizing gun control in the first days of their majority. Lawmakers on the panel voted along party lines to approve the bill, 23-15. Democrats hope to bring the measure to the floor for a vote in the coming weeks. The committee vote came a day before the one-year anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., which killed 17 people. Rep. Ted Deutch Theodore (Ted) Eliot DeutchHouse Democrats introduce bill to close existing gun loopholes and prevent mass shootings Pelosi: Greene's 'verbal assault' of Ocasio-Cortez could be a matter for Ethics Committee Democrats fume over silence from DeSantis on Florida election MORE (D-Fla.), whose district includes Parkland, made an emotional plea during the committee markup for the bill's approval if it meant even one mass shooting could be prevented. ADVERTISEMENT "It happened," Deutch said of the Parkland shooting. "Now, our responsibility is to do everything we can to make sure it never happens again." Deutch wasn't the only lawmaker to become emotional at the markup, the first major gun control legislation advanced out of the House Judiciary Committee in decades. Under the GOP majority, the House did pass multiple measures in response to gun violence, including enacting penalties against agencies that fail to report to the background check system and providing grants to schools for implementing security to prevent violence. Freshman Rep. Lucy McBath Lucia (Lucy) Kay McBathSunday shows preview: US hails Israel-Hamas cease-fire; 'vast differences' remain between Biden, GOP on infrastructure Lawmakers brace for battles with colleagues as redistricting kicks off On The Trail: Census data kicks off the biggest redistricting fight in American history MORE (D-Ga.), who lost her son to gun violence, broke into tears after casting a vote in favor of the bill. "For my son Jordan Davis, I vote aye," she said. Democrats first unveiled the bill last month, less than a week after taking control of the House majority, suggesting the issue has become a higher priority for the party in recent years. The bill, sponsored by Reps. Mike Thompson Charles (Mike) Michael ThompsonHouse Democrats introduce bill to close existing gun loopholes and prevent mass shootings Giffords group unveils gun violence memorial on National Mall Democrats urge Biden to take executive action on assault-style firearms MORE (D-Calif.) and Peter King (R-N.Y.), would expand the federal background check system to cover sales by unlicensed gun sellers, including sales at gun shows or online. Current law only requires licensed firearms dealers to conduct background checks before transferring a gun. People seeking to transfer guns would have to visit a licensed firearms dealer to run a background check. But the legislation offers exemptions for gifts between family members as well as temporary transfers for use at a shooting range or hunting. "It is time to close this dangerous loophole," said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.). "This is long-overdue legislation that will help address our national crisis of gun violence." While the legislation is titled the "Bipartisan Background Checks Act," it does not currently have widespread support on both sides of the aisle. Nearly all Democrats have signed onto the bill, but only five Republicans are listed as cosponsors. Aside from King, the sole Republicans to endorse the legislation are Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick Brian K. FitzpatrickBipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduces bill to give inmates Medicaid access Police reform sees momentum ahead of George Floyd anniversary The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Senate path uncertain after House approves Jan. 6 panel MORE (Pa.), Brian Mast Brian Jeffrey MastMassie, Greene trash mask violation warnings from House sergeant at arms House rejects GOP effort to roll back chamber's mask mandate GOP plans to force vote on rolling back House floor mask mandate MORE (Fla.), Fred Upton Frederick (Fred) Stephen UptonWhy Republican politicians are sticking with Trump Progressives nearly tank House Democrats' Capitol security bill The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Senate path uncertain after House approves Jan. 6 panel MORE (Mich.) and Chris Smith Christopher (Chris) Henry SmithThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Senate path uncertain after House approves Jan. 6 panel The Hill's Morning Report — Presented by Facebook — Biden delivers 100 million shots in 58 days, doses to neighbors The eight Republicans who voted to tighten background checks on guns MORE (N.J.). But opponents argued that the universal background checks proposal wouldn't be effective in deterring future mass shootings. "I'm sad the bill before us represents another missed opportunity to prevent this violence in our communities. It's disturbing that in a clamor to do something to combat mass violence, [Democrats] managed to craft a bill that does exactly nothing," said Rep. Doug Collins Douglas (Doug) Allen CollinsPoll shows tight GOP primary for Georgia governor The Hill's Morning Report - Census winners and losers; House GOP huddles Former Rep. Doug Collins won't enter Georgia Senate race MORE (R-Ga.), the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee. Under the GOP majority, the House did pass multiple measures in response to gun violence, including enacting penalties against agencies that fail to report to the background check system and providing grants to schools for implementing security to prevent violence. Republicans offered a series of amendments over the course of several hours to loosen the bill's exemptions and establish a "fusion center" within the FBI to combat mass violence that would analyze intelligence on violence, but all were rejected. Rep. Mike Johnson James (Mike) Michael JohnsonGOP votes to dump Cheney from leadership Cheney GOP conference deputy has complained about 'coronation' of Stefanik: report Loyalty trumps policy in Stefanik's rise, Cheney's fall MORE (R-La.) questioned whether suicidal people who ask trusted confidants to take possession of their guns out of precaution would be in legal jeopardy under the legislation. "Do we want to create a deterrent to that kind of activity?" Johnson asked. The legislation does have an exemption for temporary transfers that are "necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, if the possession by the transferee lasts only as long as immediately necessary to prevent the imminent death or great bodily harm." The National Rifle Association (NRA) previously endorsed requiring background checks for gun show sales in 1999 in the aftermath of the shooting at Columbine High School. But the NRA has since reversed course to oppose expanding the background check system. The NRA called the legislation a "broadside against lawful firearm ownership in America, setting cruel traps for common and innocent firearm-related conduct" and ineffective at deterring criminals who "by definition, do not obey the law." The bill's odds of passage in the Senate are low. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSchumer tees up vote on Jan. 6 commission bill Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission GOP leaders face new calls to boot Greene MORE (R-Ky.) opposed a background check bill that the upper chamber considered in 2013 and has offered no sign of wanting to bring up the latest background checks expansion measure. The House Judiciary Committee also approved a bill later Wednesday that would close the so-called "Charleston loophole" that allow a gun sale to go forward if a background check isn't completed within three days. It would instead extend the review period to 10 days and allow a purchaser to request a review if the background check isn't completed by then. If an additional 10 days pass without a response, then the gun purchase can go forward. Authored by House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the legislation is designed in response to Dylann Roof, the gunman who opened fire in the 2015 shooting at a historically black church in Charleston. Flaws in communication between local law enforcement and a federal background check system examiner allowed Roof to purchase the gun after waiting the required three business days. The federal background check system examiner didn't see an incident report showing that Roof previously admitted to possessing drugs, which would have resulted in a denial of the gun sale. — Updated 9:15 p.m.<doc-sep>
WASHINGTON — A key House committee approved a bill Wednesday to require background checks for all sales and transfers of firearms, a first step by majority Democrats to tighten gun laws after eight years of Republican rule. The House Judiciary Committee voted in favor of the bill 23-15, sending it to the House floor. If approved by the full House, the bill would be the most significant gun-control legislation approved by either chamber of Congress in at least a decade. Democrats have pledged additional gun legislation, including restrictions on high-capacity magazines and a measure to allow temporary removal of guns from people deemed an imminent risk to themselves or others. Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., called the background checks bill long overdue to address a "national crisis of gun violence" that claimed nearly 40,000 lives in 2017. "Our country is awash in guns, and we have the shameful death toll to show for it," he said. The vote on the bill came after a contentious, daylong hearing in which Republicans offered a series of amendments, all of which were blocked by Democrats. Republicans said they were ready to offer additional amendments when Nadler shut off debate around 8 p.m., 10 hours after the hearing began. Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, the panel's senior Republican, called Nadler's action "disturbing" and said it did not bode well for the two-year congressional session. "If this is the way the chairman wants to begin this session of Congress, I really wonder where we go from here" and whether the two parties can work together, Collins said. But Democrats said Republicans were delaying a vote on the bill because they oppose universal background checks for gun purchases. "This isn't a debate, it's a show," said Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla. She called universal background checks for all gun sales common sense and said, "Let's move forward." As if to demonstrate her point, freshman Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., displayed a large cup that read, "The Second Amendment is my gun permit." Steube was among several Republicans who tried unsuccessfully to amend the bill. Fellow freshman Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., said lawmakers "know background checks work, that they save lives, and yet we need to close loopholes" that allow some private purchases and transfers to be made without background checks. Instead of working with Democrats, "Republicans are adding more loopholes, which is shameful," Dean said. Republicans pushed to allow exceptions for victims of domestic violence and transfers among family members, but were dismissed by Democrats. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Ga., a freshman whose son was killed by gun violence, said she has been working on gun legislation since his death more than six years ago. "As a survivor of gun violence myself, I refuse to let my colleagues stand here and devalue the importance that this bill has," she said. Wednesday's vote came a day before the one-year anniversary of the high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., said that while the bill "can't bring back" any of those killed in Parkland or other shootings, it will help reduce gun violence. "If this legislation prevents one person wishing to do harm to others with a gun from doing that, it will be something we can be proud of," he said.