Gabrielle Giffords Holding Lobby for Better Gun Background Checks

A gun shot from Jared Lee Loughner, who legally was able to purchase a firearm, could have ended former Representative Gabrielle Giffords’ life. Instead, going through recovery, Giffords is now pushing for stronger, more comprehensive background checks. On March 5, Giffords and her husband’s gun control group began airing. Now she is holding a lobby…

Read More

Americans in Support of Gun Background Checks

Over the past week, a Quinnipiac University poll revealed that over 90 percent of Americans support background checks for gun sales. Specifically, 92 percent are in favor, while seven percent are opposed. However, while background checks are the hot issue soon to be on ballots, Americans’ preference wanes on other firearm restriction issues. As NPR…

Read More

Colorado Rep Pushes for Better Gun Control Measures

After a mass shooting, such as those in Sandy Hook, Conn. and Aurora, Colo., in 2012, gun sales often surge. The only exception appears to be in the states where the shootings occurred. Along with increased gun sales are background checks, which are federally mandated for firearm dealers. Nevertheless, gun sales occur beyond this stage:…

Read More

Firearms Not Removed After Failed Background Checks in Reno, Nev.

When it comes to background checks and firearms, gun shows, their loop holes, and states’ resistance to correct such procedures have come under fire. Yet, background checks are not solely performed regarding the purchase of firearms. Gun owners, as this recent Nevada instance indicates, may go through the screening again, and possibly have their weapons…

Read More

Gun Background Checks: Not The Best Method for Measuring Sales

A recent study shows that more stringent background checks for gun sales reduce firearm-related homicides and suicides. Yet, gun background checks are not always an accurate indicator of where and how many firearms are being sold. Results from a University of Alabama at Birmingham study, published in July, indicate that areas with more thorough background…

Read More

2011 Record Year for Gun Background Checks

2011 might not be the year the economy or the real estate market turned around, but it may be remembered in history as the year with the most gun-related FBI background checks, according to Reuters. A story published recently revealed the FBI saw 16.5 million queries from firearm sellers – a 15-percent increase from 2010…

Read More

Mental Health Laws in Relation to Gun Background Checks

When we last discussed mental health in relation to gun background checks, we talked about the Fix Gun Checks Act, proposed by the Senate a month ago. If passed, the bill requires all states to report mental health history to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Presently, not all states report this information,…

Read More