[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 25 (Friday, February 15, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H569-H570]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              STRENGTHENING BACKGROUND CHECKS ACT OF 2013

  (Mr. FITZPATRICK asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle to support the Strengthening Background Checks 
Act of 2013.
  The tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School has rightfully focused 
our collective attention on the question of how we can best prevent 
senseless gun violence. An important tool in preventing gun violence is 
the National

[[Page H570]]

Instant Criminal Background Check System, known as the NICS. We put in 
place this background check system to keep guns out of the hands of 
dangerous people, but our background check system is failing.
  For example, the NICS database of mentally ill individuals has fewer 
than 20 percent of the records that it should have. This is 
unacceptable. If you are a violent criminal, you should fail a 
background check. If you've been involuntarily committed to a mental 
institution, you should fail a background check. If you've been 
convicted of domestic abuse, you should fail a background check--no one 
argues with that--but if the information is not in the database, then 
these dangerous individuals will get their hands on guns, which could 
lead to devastating consequences.
  Mr. Speaker, my bill will improve incentives for States to partner 
with the Federal Government, and it will maintain an accurate, 
accessible, and up-to-date NICS. This is a strong step in the right 
direction, and it has the support of voices on both sides of the gun 
debate.

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