Washington, D.C. – Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) released the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 8- the Bipartisan Background Check Act and H.R. 1446- the Enhanced Background Checks Act. Lucas opposed both H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446.

“Over the past few decades, our country has borne witness to truly horrific acts of gun violence, and in the wake of such tragedy, Congress enacted real legislation that enhanced school security, strengthened law enforcement training, and helped expand mental health resources to prevent gun violence. Republicans and Democrats alike all share the same goal to end gun violence in this country; however, H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 only offer a false sense of security and deprive law-abiding Americans from their Second Amendment rights,” said Congressman Lucas. “Adding more bureaucracy and redundant background checks that already occur on all gun sales and undermining the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) already in place, H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 fail to address the root problems of gun violence. If House Democrats are serious about making our communities safer from gun violence, they should engage in meaningful, bipartisan efforts to curb such atrocities- not infringe upon the rights of law-abiding citizens.”

Passed by Congress and signed into law in 2018 in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, the Fix NICS Act of 2017 improved reporting to the National Instant Background Check System (NICS).

Also passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump, the Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act of 2018provides grants to states, local governments, and Tribes to improve school security infrastructure and develops student, teacher, and law enforcement training to prevent violence.

Congress also passed, and signed into law in 2016, the 21^st Century Cares Act, which improved the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help track violent deaths and illuminate ways they can be prevented. The law also permanently authorized the VALOR Initiative at the U.S. Department of Justice, which trains law enforcement on appropriate actions to take in an active shooter scenario.

Lucas is a cosponsor of H.R. 38– the National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would allow people with state-issued concealed carry licenses or permits to conceal a handgun in any other state, as long as the permit holder follows the laws of that state. It also allows residents of Constitutional carry states the ability to carry in other states.

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