CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE INTRODUCES “STOPPING MASS KILLINGS BY VIOLENT TERRORISTS ACT” TO KEEP MOST DANGEROUS WEAPONS OUT OF HANDS OF THE MOST DANGEROUS PERSONS

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee and the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, released the following statement today after introducing H.R. 5470 the “Stop Mass Killings by Violent Terrorists Act”:

“Our nation was horrified and heartbroken by the heinous act of terror and hatred that claimed the lives of 49 innocent persons and wounded many more in Orlando, Florida, the deadliest mass shooting in the history of our country. Our hearts grieve over the loss so overwhelming and senseless.

“Mass shootings have become too common in our country and we owe to the victims of gun violence – from Orlando to Charleston to Aurora to Chattanooga to Fort Hood and more -- to keep weapons intended for military use out of the hands of persons who would use them to massacre civilians.

“That is why today I have introduced H.R. 5470, the “Stop Mass Killings by Violent Terrorists Act,” which will prohibit a firearms dealer from transferring a semiautomatic assault weapon or large capacity ammunition clips to a purchaser until the Attorney General has verified that the prospective transferee has truthfully answered new questions on the firearms background check questionnaire regarding contacts between the prospective purchaser or transferee and federal law enforcement authorities.

“H.R. 5470 complements many of the gun violence prevention and anti-terrorism bills I have introduced in this and previous Congresses, including the “No Fly For Foreign Fighters Act” (H.R. 4240), which passed the House earlier this year and is pending in the Senate.

“On average gun violence claims the lives of 90 persons each day. Since 1968, more than a million persons have died at the hand of a gun. The homicide rate in the United States is about 6.9 times higher than the combined rate in 22 other populous highly-developed countries, despite similar non-lethal crime and violence rates.

“I call upon Speaker Ryan and Senate Republican Leader McConnell to must rise above partisan politics and bring to the floor needed legislation to reduce gun violence and mass shootings in America. The safety of the American people should be paramount, not the interests of the National Rifle Association.

“Mass shootings like the ones that occurred in San Bernardino, Newtown, and Orlando are made easier to carry out by the prevalence and ease in obtaining automatic assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines. We can make it more difficult for those who would do our people and communities harm by making those weapons more difficult to obtain, or better yet, by banning them altogether. And a good place to start is for Speaker Ryan to schedule debate and vote on H.R. 5470, the “Stop Mass Killings by Violent Terrorists Act.”

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