In case you missed it, one month after the Las Vegas mass shooting, NRA leadership is both claiming credit for slowing down legislation to prohibit bump stocks, and gleefully suggesting that the House of Representatives will move forward on the gun lobby’s dangerous legislative priorities “in the next few weeks.”
During a surprisingly candid video interview last week, the NRA’s chief lobbyist Chris Cox bragged that the gun lobby had deliberately slowed down legislation to prohibit bump stocks by issuing an initial statement calling for the ATF to re-review the legality of the deadly devices (even though the ATF has reportedly made clear to House members that the current law doesn’t allow them to resolve the bump stock loophole):
COX [3:45]: The day before we put out that statement, there were enough votes in the House of Representatives, the Republican pro-gun House of Representatives, to pass a Feinstein-Curbelo type of bill. …
COX: The truth is we needed to slow the process down, and have an educated conversation. What we also said — I said it on national TV — the day that we put that statement out, I went on Tucker Carlson’s show and he asked about the NRA supporting a ban [on bump stocks]. We don’t support a ban on anything.
The NRA’s same initial statement on bump stocks also called for Congress to pass its number one priority to gut state gun laws, “concealed carry reciprocity.”
And now, one month after the Vegas shooting, the gun lobby says it expects Congress not to address bump stocks, but to instead make progress on its dangerous priorities: “concealed carry reciprocity” and legislation to roll back silencer safety laws.
Here’s what Cox just told NRATV host Grant Stinchfield this week:
COX [12:09]: “We’re getting really close, Grant. We’re expecting some movement in the House of Representatives here in the next few weeks. … scheduling a vote is going to happen.”
The NRA spent more than $50 million last year to elect Donald Trump and NRA allies in Congress, in an effort to gut silencer safety laws and pass “concealed carry reciprocity,” so it’s no surprise that it expects Congress to return the favor.
The fact is Americans overwhelmingly oppose the gun lobby’s dangerous agenda and instead support stronger gun laws. And if members of Congress choose to stand with the gun lobby – against public safety and the will of constituents – then Everytown and Moms Demand Action will be there to hold them accountable.
If you’d like to learn more about bump stocks, silencers or concealed carry reciprocity, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
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