Gun Violence and Prevention

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy believes that we must fight for and adopt commonsense policies to make our families safer.  While individuals have a Constitutional right to own a gun, much needs to be done to ensure that firearms remain in responsible hand in order to prevent senseless gun violence.

Gun Violence Prevention Task Force

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy was named a Vice-Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force in the 113^th Congress.  In this capacity, she co-authored a widely circulated policy document that outlined Democratic gun violence prevention principles that reflected the views of gun owners, sportsmen and activists alike.

Reinstating the Assault Weapons Ban

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy and Senator Dianne Feinstein authored a bill to refresh and update the original Assault Weapons Ban law by banning the sale, transfer, manufacture and importation of various kinds of semiautomatic pistols, rifles and shotguns.

Universal Background Checks

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy authored a bill to close various loopholes in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) as well as require background checks universally for gun purchases and transfers including closing the notorious “gun show loophole”.

Restriction on Ammunition

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy authored a bill to restrict the availability of large capacity ammunition feeding devices as well as legislation to require face-to-fact purchases of ammunition.

Appropriations Riders

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy cosigned a letter to the Office of Management and Budget and to House leadership expressing concern over appropriations riders that prohibit the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are not included in the President’s budget.

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy supported the passage of the FY14 omnibus bill that rejected efforts to make certain annual firearms riders permanent and the intent to block important reporting requirements regarding gun sales.

NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) Improvement Amendments Act of 2007

Congresswoman McCarthy authored and had signed into law the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007.  The bill was signed into law on January 8^th 2008 by President George W. Bush.  The bill was authored in the wake of the April 2007 shooting tragedy at Virginia Tech.  The shooter at Virginia Tech was able to purchase his firearms from a federally licensed dealer (FFL) because information about his mental health history was not available in the NICS system. This law intends to fill in these gaps to better enable the system to ensure firearms remain in responsible hands.