RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – The National Rifle Association (NRA) issued the following statement in response to a report that a Republican and Democratic senator plan to announce a compromise on expanding background checks of firearms purchasers.
According to CNN sources, the bipartisan agreement would require background checks for firearms purchases at gun shows as well as Internet sales.
“Expanding background checks at gun shows will not prevent the next shooting, will not solve violent crime and will not keep our kids safe in schools,” the statement emailed from the NRA read. “While the overwhelming rejection of President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg’s “universal” background check agenda is a positive development, we have a broken mental health system that is not going to be fixed with more background checks at gun shows. The sad truth is that no background check would have prevented the tragedies in Newtown, Aurora or Tucson.
“We need a serious and meaningful solution that addresses crime in cities like Chicago, addresses mental health deficiencies, while at the same time protecting the rights of those of us who are not a danger to anyone.
“President Obama should be as committed to dealing with the gang problem that is tormenting honest people in his hometown as he is to blaming law-abiding gun owners for the acts of psychopathic murderers.”
(The CNN wire was used in this report)
