Mass shootings: Advancing legislation or pushing for stronger enforcement?

On March 31, Illinois’ U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth signed on as co-sponsors to the Background Check Completion Act – legislation designed to close what’s called the “Charleston Loophole” – which allows gun sales to be transacted if background checks are not completed in a timely fashion.

What’s behind the bill is the 2015 mass shooting at the Charleston Emanuel AME Church in which nine people, including the pastor, were killed.

But in supporting the bill, Duckworth’s comments were much in the now, coming just days after another mass shooting at a Nashville private school.

“With more than 130 mass shootings this year alone, how many lives must be taken before Congress finally says, ‘Enough is enough?’” Duckworth said. “In the wake of so many senseless tragedies, it’s past time Congress acted to close this loophole and help keep weapons out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them.”

According to the Gun Violence Archive, there were 131 mass shootings in the first three months of 2023. In those incidents, 62 children younger than 12 were killed and 359 teenagers were killed.

Illinois has seen its share. There have been eight mass shootings in Illinois this calendar year; four in Chicago and one each in Machesney Park, Rockford, Bolingbrook and Macomb. Those shootings killed 13 killed and wounded 30.

In the aftermath of the March 27 Nashville shooting at The Covenant School, the Gazette and Telegraph asked its members of Congress, including 16th District’s Darin LaHood and 17th District’s Eric Sorensen, this question: “What will you do during the 118th Congress to address mass shootings in the United States?”

Their unfiltered responses are published separately here.

In addition to their comments, the three lawmakers who are Democrats provided additional material, including their legislative records on the issue of gun violence.

LaHood, a Republican who was a former assistant U.S. Attorney, reiterated his established position that officers of the court should be “rigorously enforcing existing gun laws” and that prosecutors be held accountable for not charging perpetrators of serious crimes.

Durbin

Durbin cited his support for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, introduced by Florida Republican Marco Rubio.

Signed by President Joe Biden on June 25, 2022, it makes changes to federal firearms laws, including to expand background check requirements, broaden the scope of existing restrictions, and establish new criminal offenses.

Durbin and Duckworth voted for it in the Senate, as did Reps. Cheri Bustos and Adam Kinzinger in the House.

Durbin’s legislative record also includes introducing the SECURE Firearm Storage Act, co-sponsoring the Protecting Kids from Gun Marketing Act and as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, conducting a March 15 hearing on public safety and gun safety laws.

In a Senate floor speech Thursday, Durbin read into the record the death tolls of the deadliest mass shootings since 2012, noting that 10 of the 17 deadliest mass shootings a shooter used an AR-15.

Duckworth

Duckworth reintroduced the Keep Americans Safe Act in the Senate. The House version was introduced at the start of National Gun Violence Survivor’s Week. It would ban the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer or possession of high-capacity gun magazines that hold more than 15 rounds.

A co-sponsor was Rep. Brad Schneider, Democrat from Illinois’ 10th District, who cited the toll from the Highland Park July 4, 2022, parade shooting in which seven died and 40 were wounded as the reason for introducing the bill.

Sorensen

Sorensen, a freshman lawmaker, joined as a co-sponsor a 2021 House bill, Ethan’s Law, which establishes a framework to regulate the storage of firearms on residential premises at the federal, state, and tribal levels.

The Judiciary committee referred it to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security on March 22.

LaHood

In addition to robust prosecution, LaHood calls for law enforcement agencies to share information more freely about potential gun threats and for greater investment in mental and behavioral health resources.

After the Michigan State University shooting on Feb. 13, LaHood was interviewed by Shaw Media during a district visit to Streator. At the time LaHaood called for stronger enforcement of existing gun laws. He said: “If you’re a convicted felon, you can’t have a weapon. If you’ve been convicted in a domestic matter, you can’t have a weapon. If you’ve been diagnosed with a mental illness, you can’t have a weapon. We ought to enforce those laws and we’re not doing that right now.”