WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted to defeat proposals that would prohibit suspected terrorists from buying guns and that would close loopholes in the background check system:
“It’s incomprehensible and shameful that 53 Senators put a higher priority on pleasing the gun lobby than keeping weapons out of the hands of suspected terrorists, known criminals, and the dangerously disturbed. There are very few proposals in American politics that enjoy near-universal support, but closing loopholes in the background check system does. Ninety percent of Americans want to close the gun show loophole. Even majorities of gun owners and NRA members support these common-sense proposals.
“Oregon is a state with a deep tradition of hunting and target shooting, but Oregonians know that their rights are not compromised by measures to protect the public from guns in the hands of people who would do harm with them, which is why Oregonians have closed background check loopholes. It makes no sense that individuals on the terrorist watch list are denied access to planes but given full access to an armory of weapons. It is disturbing and disappointing that Senators are refusing to make this common-sense change after this latest horrible terrorist hate crime.”
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