Senate Should Move Forward on Fix NICS

Tuesday on the Senate floor, I urged my Democrat colleagues to support the Fix NICS Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen the background checks system. 

Members are discussing, of course, many ideas which always happens after a tragedy like this. And I'm open to a conversation with anyone who shares my desire to take effective action to prevent another one of these tragedies. But there is one proposal that's already been introduced that's won bipartisan support and has brought together advocates from all sides.

It may take a long time to answer all the questions raised by the tragedy in Parkland, but one step we can take right now is to pass the Fix NICS bill.

This bipartisan legislation would tighten the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. It's supported by people all across the political spectrum. And it's even cosponsored by the Democratic leader, Senator Schumer, and supported by Everytown for Gun Safety.

Senator Schumer, the Minority Leader, said yesterday he wants to wait even though he's a cosponsor of the Fix NICS bill.

He wants to wait and debate other ideas he knows are controversial and can't pass.

If our attitude is, ‘I want everything on my list or nothing,’ we're going to end up with nothing. I would implore our Democratic colleagues to change course.

Let's do what we can immediately to pass Fix NICS and build from there.