By Adrianna McGinley
Survivors and family members of shooting victims, including those of the January Tucson shooting that nearly killed Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), joined legislators Tuesday to support bipartisan legislation aimed at tightening national gun laws.
The Fix Gun Checks Act, introduced by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), would require background checks for all gun purchases and would penalize states that fail to enter records into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who has committed to investigating the ATF’s failed “Operation Fast and Furious” program, agreed that legislation to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals is necessary. He added, however, that Second Amendment rights must be protected for law-abiding citizens, specifically veterans that he says were denied their right to bear arms under the NICS Improvement Act.
“While the horrific events in Tucson are still fresh in our memories, as we discuss new gun control laws, we also need to move forward on bipartisan legislation such as the Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act,” Grassley said.
Col. Bill Badger, who survived a bullet wound from the Tucson shooting, and Patricia Maisch, who prevented the shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, from reloading, voiced support for the measure.
“Tucson is yet another extremely tragic example of what is at stake each and every time a gun falls or is placed in the wrong hands,” Maisch said. “Changing the past is impossible…but it would be a pitiful shame if no action were taken to change the future. You can take action to improve our broken gun background check system, and I truly believe with all my soul that your actions can save lives.”
Legislators and witnesses emphasized that the proposal is not meant to infringe on people’s rights or take away their guns, but rather to ensure that guns stay out of the hands of dangerous individuals, like Loughner, a diagnosed schizophrenic.
“I believe there’s a right to bear arms, but I also believe it’s not absolute,” Schumer said. “Just as we have limits on the First Amendment…there are reasonable limits on the Second Amendment. I don’t believe it should be seen through a pinhole…but I also believe that limits are very reasonable and we’re talking among the most reasonable limits here.”