Do You Want the Democrat-Controlled House to Pursue Gun-Control Legislation?

What’s the story?

• Democrats have promised aggressive action on gun control when they regain House majority next year.
• As the Wall Street Journal explained, “Democrats ousted at least 15 House Republicans with ‘A’ National Rifle Association ratings, while the candidates elected to replace them all scored an ‘F’ NRA rating.”
• “This new majority is not going to be afraid of our shadow,” Mike Thompson (D-CA), chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, told the Journal.

“We know that we’ve been elected to do a job, and we’re going to do it.”

• House Minority Leader – and potential future majority leader – Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) echoed this sentiment. In a statement following Thursday's Thousand Oaks bar shooting, Pelosi wrote:

"The American people deserve real action to end the daily epidemic of gun violence that is stealing the lives of our children on campuses, in places of worship and on our streets.”

What do Democrats want to do?

Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) told CNN that his list includes:

• Implementing universal background checks.
• Expanding “red flag laws” – also known as "gun violence restraining orders" - which allows law enforcement to ask a judge to temporarily take guns away from people who are deemed a threat.
• Banning "bump stocks."
• School safety and mental health initiatives.

What are gun rights advocates saying?

• Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), whose victorious Senate campaign was backed by $2.5 million from the NRA, was asked by Fox News how to prevent gun violence like the Thousand Oaks shooting.

“What we do is say, how do we make certain that we protect the Second Amendment and protect our citizens?” Blackburn said.

• “The biggest Second Amendment implication of the election is that the pro-Second Amendment majority in the U.S. Senate will continue to confirm pro-Second Amendment judges to the lower courts all the way to the Supreme Court,” NRA spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said.
• Baker was referring to the GOP-controlled Senate, where any House-crafted gun-control legislation would face a tough road to passage.

What do you think?

Do you want the House pushing gun-control legislation? Or do you want Congress to expand gun rights? Take action above, then share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

(Photo Credit: iStockphoto.com / VistaVision)