Weapons Laws: Your Government Inaction

Image by Lucio Eastman

CBS News recently reported that more than 100 gun-control proposals have been introduced by members of Congress since one of their own members, Representative Gabrielle Giffords, was shot along with eighteen others in January 2011. All failed. 

Here are examples of failed bills and resolutions from just the current (2015-2016) session, culled from Congress.gov. None advanced beyond being referred to committees. All bill names are actual.

H.R.5576— To authorize the Attorney General to deny the transfer of firearms and explosives and Federal firearms and explosives licenses and permits to known or suspected terrorists.

S.2544— Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2016

H.R.47— To ensure secure gun storage and gun safety devices

H.R.2917— End Purchase of Firearms by Dangerous Individuals Act of 2015

H.R.2612— To authorize the appropriation of funds to the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention for conducting or supporting research on firearms safety

or gun violence prevention

H.R.2871— Keeping Guns From Criminals Act

H.R.2939— Enforce Existing Gun Laws Act

H.R.4356— Crackdown on Deadbeat Gun Dealers Act of 2016

H.R.1858— Crime Gun Tracing Act

H.Res.467— Establishing the Select Committee on Gun Violence Prevention

H.R.5532— Unlawful Gun Buyer Alert Act

H.R.5470— Stop Mass Killings By Violent Terrorists Act

H.Res.541— Expressing support for designation of June 2016 as “National Gun Violence Awareness Month”

H.R.4269— Assault Weapons Ban of 2015

S.Res.496— A resolution condemning the terrorist attack on the Pulse Orlando nightclub, honoring the memory of the victims of the attack, offering condolences to and expressing support for their families and . . .

H.R.224— To require the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service to submit to Congress an annual report on the effects of gun violence on public health

H.R.752—Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act

H.R.1358— Armor-Piercing Bullets Act of 2015

H.R.4009— Flamethrowers? Really? Act

Bill Lueders is associate editor of The Progressive