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Michigan U.S. House members hope gun reform bills will put pressure on the Senate

Cliff
/
https://flic.kr/p/5BNoTT

Democratic members of Congress are working to garner support for new gun reform. The U.S. House last week passed what supporters are calling the most significant gun reform in two decades.

The bills would increase the period of time for background checks and would close loopholes that currently allow gun purchases made online or at gun shows to go without checks.

Democratic U.S. Congressman Dan Kildee supports both bills.  He said both make for common sense reforms.

“The way the law currently works is there’s a three-day background check but if the background check doesn’t come back and it’s not complete in three days the way the law has been working is the gun is just automatically given.”

Kildee said the legislation has broad support among the public.

“The guys I hunt with, let’s just say they aren’t all Democrats. Every one of them says ‘of course we should go through a background check.’”

Kildee said whether the bill gets taken up by the Senate has more to do with the strength of the National Rifle Association than with public opinion.

He said he’s hopeful the bill would put pressure on Senate Republicans to act.