F6

The problem our country faces today is a simple but deadly one. Our gun control laws are not strict enough. We have turned our heads to the obvious fact that a sizable amount of innocent citizens are losing their lives, their guaranteed right as a citizen of the United States of America. I am aware that we currently have an amendment protecting the right to bear arms, making this another guaranteed right as a citizen. However, there comes a time when reform is inevitable. While my original proposal was to pass a new amendment banning the second amendment, I have settled on passing strict gun control laws. These laws will be national, and not up for debate within individual states.

According to a poll in 2008, 67% of murders in the United States were committed with a handgun. That 67% is 10,886 people who had families and friends just like we all do. Let us strive to think of the individuals instead of grouping them together in statistics. While the US is not number one in the world when it comes to gun violence (we are actually ranked somewhere between 17th and 26th), we are number one with our “equivalently modern” countries. A homicide is three times more likely in a house with a gun than in one without. In Connecticut recently, a total of 26 people, including teachers and elementary school students, were shot during a normal day at school. Again we have 26 families who will never be unaffected, their pain is forever.

There are few existing laws that deal with gun control today. There is the second amendment which guarantees the right of citizen to bear arms. There is also the Gun Free School Zones Act (1995), which prohibits knowingly carrying a gun anywhere that is a known school zone. Another piece of legislation in place is the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which requires a background check for any person purchasing a gun. While these Acts are helpful, there are too many loopholes and exceptions and the federal government has not done enough. Most recently, there was the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which prohibited certain firearms to be purchased after the bill was signed. However, that ban has expired.  

My law will outlaw the possession of semiautomatic weapons being available to citizens. Hunting rifles and other guns used for hunting may be allowed. My law will require, with no exception, that the customer provide reason for owning a gun. Then, after he/she has proven the reason, they must undergo a background check by the state or national government. If there are any traces of mental illness, the customer must not have the gun.The gun-seller must be licensed and keep track of every transaction, and his or her license must be renewed every seven years.
There will be more education in school about gun violence, and when you buy a gun you have to go through additional education. It will be recommended to every buyer that they purchase a safe.
In addition to these regulations, my law will contain a buy back program. This program will allow any citizen currently owning a gun to sell it back to the United States government, thereby boosting the economy a bit.

The committee that I would look to to review my bill would be the Congressional Committee on the Judiciary, because they hold jurisdiction over constitutional amendments. While I do not propose striking the second amendment, I do propose it be changed so this would be the proper committee I think.




Research:
http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2012/12/14/schoo-shooting-how-do-u-s-gun-homicides-compare-with-the-rest-of-the-world/

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2012/jul/23/how-does-gun-violence-compare-to-other-nations/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_law_in_the_United_States