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Law Enforcement Asks Congress to Require Background Checks for Gun Buys

This is always a hot button topic.  But since this is one topic that involves background checks, I follow it with interest.   Meanwhile, I realize it brings out vehement responses from both the gun rights people and the anti-gun or firearms control people.

In this case it is law enforcement requesting from Congress that they mandate background checks for those wishing to purchase firearms.   The background checks would reveal if someone is legally eligible to buy a gun or has the type of criminal records that would prohibit their purchase.

One article about law enforcement asking Congress for background checks was in the Huffington Post.   The Huffington Post is the online news and opinion site that most liberals love and most conservatives love to hate.  I would say I love reading all the comments to the articles, but usually I am busy and, after seeing but a few, they all seem to run together in the same-same diatribes.  But I digress.  The actual article also appeared in the Washington Post.

The proposed law, H.R. 2324 would require all  gun buyers to undergo a criminal background check before purchasing a firearm at a gun show. Federal law already requires all federally licensed firearms dealers to conduct a computerized background check on prospective buyers before selling a gun. Under existing federal law, and in many states, however, private sales between non-dealers do not require background checks, including transactions at gun shows. (State and federal laws only prohibit selling to known felons.)

The law comes in the aftermath of several mayors asking for tighter background checks on gun buyers at gun shows.   Mayor Michael Bloomberg had conduct an undercover campaign where private investigators, using clandestine cameras, shows how those at gun shows could buy firearms without submitting to a background check.  In some cases, the would be gun buyer was told by the vendor who could buy the gun, even without proper ID.   I have written about this on several occasions.  One such article is entitled, Bloomberg and Company Pushing for Gun Show Background Checks.  There was another article where church groups are also urging for background checks for gun sales.   This article was entitled, Church Groups are  Pushing for Gun Show Background Checks.

I realize this is a controversial subject and that there are definitely at least five sides to this story.   And this is a story that will not be disappearing anytime soon.   I will continue to follow the news and the attempts at legislation.   To be continued.

By Gordon Basichis

Gordon Basichis is the Co-Founder of Corra Group, specializing in pre-employment background checks and corporate research. He has been a marketing and media executive and has worked in the entertainment industry, the financial, health care and technology sectors. He is the author of the best selling Beautiful Bad Girl, The Vicki Morgan Story, a non-fiction novel that helped define exotic sexuality in the late twentieth century. He is the author of the Constant Travellers and has recently completed a new book, The Guys Who Spied for China, dealing with Chinese Espionage in the United States. He has been a journalist for several newspapers and is a screenwriter and producer.

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