The U.S. Senate needs to close the Charleston loophole.
The Charleston loophole is a gap in federal law that allows gun sales to proceed without a completed background check if three business days have passed. This loophole is an extreme safety risk to all people in the United States; the Mother Emanuel AME Church shooter exploited it to acquire his firearm, and thousands of guns were sold to prohibited purchasers in 2020 alone because of it.
Our lawmakers must address this crisis immediately.
Tell your U.S. senators to support S. 591 and close the Charleston loophole >>
Dear Senator,
As your constituent, I urge you to support S. 591, the Background Check Completion Act of 2021. The surge in gun sales during the COVID-19 pandemic has put an unprecedented strain on our nation's background check system, a situation which has exacerbated the "Charleston loophole." This gap in federal law allows a gun sale to go forward after three business days, even when a background check has not yet been completed. Giving law enforcement more time to complete background checks will save lives and ensure that firearms are not sold to prohibited purchasers.
Action on gun safety has also never been more critical. Over 100 Americans are killed every day due to gun violence, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has continued to intensify the gun violence crisis. S. 591 would help save lives and protect communities from gun violence by addressing a deadly loophole in federal law. I urge you to support this bill.