Rep. Jason Crow Votes to Pass Universal Background Checks

Rep. Crow Serves as Vice Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and is a co-sponsor of the Bipartisan Background Checks Act

WASHINGTON - Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06), Vice Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and a former Army Ranger, today voted to pass the Bipartisan Background Checks Act (H.R. 8). The bill would ensure that individuals already prohibited from gun possession under federal law cannot obtain a firearm online, at a gun show, or through most types of private transfers. While federal law already requires licensed gun dealers to conduct background checks, H.R. 8 would extend the requirement to unlicensed gun sellers.

"From Columbine to Aurora, our community has been ripped apart by gun violence and it is clear we need more than thoughts and prayers. Today, for the first time in a generation, we took action. We said the House would introduce gun violence prevention legislation in the first 100 days and we kept that promise," said Crow. "Coloradans deserve more than a Congress that does the bidding of the gun lobby and special interests. Today, we stood up for the people and the safety of our communities. Now it's time for Senator McConnell to do his job and hold a vote. My colleagues in the Senate owe it to the American people to have the courage to tell them where they stand on this crisis and if they aren't willing to lead on this, they should have to answer for their inaction."

This is the first major gun safety legislation to pass the House of Representatives in more than a generation. The last major House vote on gun violence prevention legislation was in 1994 for the assault weapon ban.

After the Aurora Theater shooting, Colorado passed its own universal background checks bill, similar to the one that passed the House today, and stopped 2,000 private firearm sales to individuals who should not have them.

In addition to co-sponsoring H.R. 8, Crow is a co-sponsor of the Assault Weapon Ban (H.R. 1296) which would crack down on the weapon of choice for would-be mass shooters.