Washington, DC - Today, the House passed HR 2640, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Improvement Act. The legislation marks the first gun violence prevention legislation passed in the House in over a decade, and clears the way for Senate action.

HR 2640 provides grants to states to input criminal records of individuals barred from purchasing firearms into the federal NICS system. The common-sense approach will keep guns out of the hands of criminals while preserving the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.

“Millions of criminal records are not accessible by NICS and millions others are missing critical data.” said Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (NY-4), the bills lead sponsor. “Each year, tens of thousands of barred individuals slip through the cracks of the system and gain access to firearms. Simply, put, the NICS system must be updated on both the state and federal level.”

Since April, Reps. McCarthy and Dingell (MI-15) have been working on language to ensure improvements to the NICS system did not impose new restrictions on law-abiding gun owners. “Nothing is ever going to prevent evil people from committing evil acts. But this bill will go a long way towards making sure that those who have been judged to be a danger to society or have committed felonies cannot buy a firearm,” said Rep. Dingell. “The tragedy of Virginia Tech made it clear that the current NICS system needs to have better information, better technology, and clearer standards. This legislation accomplishes that. It will make a better system for public safety, law enforcement, and for lawful and honest gun owners. This shows that even on the most divisive of issues, people of good faith and good intentions can work together to achieve the common good.”

In the Senate, Sen. Charles Schumer (NY) will take the lead on the NICS Improvement Act. “As Virginia Tech showed, when the system fails, the consequences can be tragic,” said Sen. Schumer. “For the first time in over a decade, we have our best opportunity to prevent the senseless loss of life at our schools and on our streets by making sure that those who are judged mentally ill do not get guns. The fact that the NRA and I agree shows that this legislation is needed, not controversial and should pass quickly.”

According to McCarthy, “I came to Congress in 1997, in the wake of my own personal tragedy, to help prevent gun violence. Ten years later, I am more committed than ever to this cause. Today, with House passage of the NICS Improvement Act, we are one step closer to reducing the needless deaths from gun violence.”

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