No Check, No Sale: Everytown, Moms Demand Action Call on Congress and Retailers to Close Loophole that Allowed Charleston Shooter to Obtain Gun with an Incomplete Background Check

Nation’s Largest Gun Retailer Walmart Requires Completed Background Check for Sale; Moms Launch Petition Calling on Retailer Cabela’s to Adopt Same Policy; #NoCheckNoSale

Everytown to Launch Advertising Campaign Calling on Congress to Close NRA-Backed Loophole Allowing Sales Even if Background Check is Incomplete

NEW YORK – Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a part of Everytown, today launched a dual-pronged campaign calling on both Congress and gun retailers to close the NRA-backed loophole that allows gun sales to proceed even if a background check is incomplete. Last week the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced that the Charleston shooter obtained a gun despite an incomplete background check due to this loophole in the law.

Targeting Congress, Everytown will lead a campaign, including paid advertising, to demand that political leaders close the loophole created by an NRA-backed amendment to the 1993 Brady Bill that, over the last five years, has allowed more than 15,000 gun sales to dangerous people because a background check could not be completed within the three-day period required by the law. (Fact sheet on the Charleston shooting, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and default proceeds is available here.)

“The tragedy in Charleston is a wake-up call for Congress and retailers alike to immediately do their part to close the NRA-backed loophole that makes it possible for dangerous people to get guns by running out the clock,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “This isn’t a game – American lives are at stake – and it’s high time for us to stop playing by the NRA’s rules. If you don’t pass a background check, you should not pass go and you should not be able to collect a gun. Congress has the power to re-write the rules, extend the arbitrary three-day clock, and make sure our background check system puts American public safety ahead of the interests of the gun lobby.”

Targeting retailers, Moms Demand Action today launched #NoCheckNoSale, a petition that will begin by asking Cabela’s, a major gun seller with 64 retail outlets in North America, to adopt the same policy that Walmart and other industry leaders have adopted to not proceed with a gun sale until a background check is completed. In 2008, Walmart worked with Mayors Against Illegal Guns, now part of Everytown, to develop and agree to the Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership, a 10-point code to help ensure dangerous people do not obtain guns, including no sales without a completed background check.

“When the safety of our families and communities is on the line, American moms refuse to wait for Congress to act,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “That’s why we’re turning to American gun retailers – starting with Cabela’s – to immediately adopt a policy that Walmart instituted years ago: No check, no sale. It’s the only way for retailers to be sure they aren’t allowing a dangerous person to get a gun and we expect Cabela’s – and other retailers – to take action.”

Background checks that have been completed have blocked more than two million sales to dangerous people and have saved countless lives. More information on background checks is available here: www.everytownresearch.org