Brady Applauds Record-Level Public Support of Proposed ATF Rule to Expand Background Checks

The Overwhelming Response Underscores That Americans Want Action to Prevent Gun Violence. Brady Helped Drive Record Support for the Proposed Rule, Which Aims to Close What is Often Referred to as the "Gun Show Loophole."

Washington, D.C., December 8, 2023 – Brady, a national gun violence prevention organization, was a driving force behind the record number of public comments supporting a proposed rule by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Over 274,000 comments – the most filed for a specific gun-related rule in at least a decade – were submitted requesting expanded requirements for gun dealers to become licensed and conduct background checks, closing a massive and deadly loophole in our life-saving Brady Background Checks system.

Kris Brown, president of Brady, said:

“The historic number of comments submitted to the ATF illustrates Americans’ fierce desire for stronger background checks. Nearly 97% of Americans support stronger background checks, and they are making their voice heard at record levels. Over the past 30 years, Brady Background Checks have prevented nearly 4.9 million prohibited gun transactions since its enactment in 1994. Yet, with the rise of the internet and gun shows, more than 1 in 5 gun sales in the U.S. are conducted without a background check, amounting to millions of guns per year ending up in the hands of people who aren’t allowed to buy them. This deadly loophole undermines the effectiveness of nearly all other gun laws.

“Americans are turning out in droves to support this rule, and we urge ATF to implement this rule in its current state to bolster the Brady Background Check system and ensure it has the necessary updates to continue preventing prohibited purchasers from buying firearms.”

The proposed rule largely stemmed from pressure applied by Brady, the architects of the Brady Bill which formed the Brady Background Check system, and fellow national gun violence prevention advocates. In response to changes made in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, Brady released a memo urging ATF to clearly define who is considered engaged in the business of selling firearms to reinforce the system their founders, Jim and Sarah Brady, worked tirelessly to create.