Demand Two

Demand two is expanding background checks to all gun sales around the country.

Currently, the law only puts restrictions on licensed firearm dealers, but there is a loophole to this law.

People can go online or order from magazines to obtain firearms, and background checks are not required.

EMPOWER would like to stop the sale of guns on the internet and magazines because of the risks it provides.

Already 67,000 firearms have been sold by private sellers that did not require background checks.

According to an undercover investigation by the city of New York, 62 percent of private online firearm sellers agreed to sell a firearm to a buyer even if the buyer had admitted he or she couldn’t obtain a firearm legally.

A recent study in 2017 showed that 42 percent of gun owners acquired their most recent weapon without a background check.

When unlicensed sellers don’t run background checks, people known to be dangerous can easily obtain guns, which leads to deadly consequences.

According to CNN, there have been 20 school shootings throughout the country since this year has started as of April 20.

According to Giffords Law Center, those who can’t legally carry a gun can still carry illegally.

“Individuals prohibited by law from possessing guns can easily obtain them from private sellers and do so without any federal records of the transactions,” Giffords Law Center wrote.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police stated that individuals who fail a background check can easily obtain the firearm in another way.

“Guns are far too easily acquired by prohibited possessors,” the IACP wrote, “and too often end up being used in gun crime and gun violence.”

The IACP wants all transactions of gun sales to go through dealers licensed by the federal government only.

“Congress, as well as state, local, and tribal governments, should enact laws requiring that all gun sales and transfers should proceed through a federally licensed dealer,” said the IACP.

According to the Women’s March Website, states that require background checks or permits had 35 percent fewer gun deaths versus the ones who don’t.

When background checks are required, they are extremely effective at keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous, prohibited persons.

Overall, 3 million people are legally prohibited from possessing a gun. Of that group, people who are prohibited are mainly convicted felons, domestic abusers, and  the dangerously mentally ill, according to Giffords Law Center.