Biden Background Check Expansion is Good
Background checks are the first line of defense in public safety. Every year tens of thousands of background checks happen in Nebraska with about 2% of people getting denied according to Department of Justice. Firearms are the #1 method for suicide and homicide in Nebraska. Background checks are the first step to protect people from gun violence.
In April 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration enacted a rule change that effectively expands background checks by requiring people who regularly sell and profit from guns to be licensed as gun dealers. They will be required to follow safety rules which include a background check for buyers, just like gun sellers with store fronts have done for decades. This rule change implements a requirement of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed in 2022. Nebraksans Against Gun Violence attended the White House celebration after the passage.
Information from the White House can be found here.
Final AFT rule change, executive summary, and additional research can be found here.
Ending a life is an action that cannot be undone. It is a serious matter that impacts families for generations. Expanding background checks will save lives.
Gun violence is a public health crisis and we support serious funding of research, community programming, using a combination of education, policy, and accountability to reduce gun violence across the United States, including Nebraska.