releases: https://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/releases?ContentRecord_id=BD174A6D-CF7B-4883-91CC-1E13A3E74056
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
This data as json
| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| https://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/releases?ContentRecord_id=BD174A6D-CF7B-4883-91CC-1E13A3E74056 | RELEASE: Hatch Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Fix to Background Check System | 2017-11-16 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | UT | Orrin Hatch | H000338 | www.hatch.senate.gov | legacy | “This is a commonsense solution that closes a hole in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of felons, fugitives, drug addicts, persons with serious mental illness, and other prohibited persons” WASHINGTON – Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the senior Republican in the United States Senate, joined a bipartisan group of Senators in supporting legislation proposed by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to make important fixes to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. “I’m pleased to cosponsor Senator Cornyn’s bipartisan Fix NICS Act,” Hatch said. “This is a commonsense solution that closes a hole in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of felons, fugitives, drug addicts, persons with serious mental illness, and other prohibited persons. Our proposal will help prevent future tragedies by facilitating better information-sharing to prevent the sale of arms to those who would do us harm.” The National Shooting Sports Foundation, which supports the bill, added, “This legislation will provide states with the necessary resources to promptly and efficiently provide disqualifying records to NICS on those who are prohibited under current law from possessing firearms. Federally licensed firearms retailers rely upon the NICS to prevent the sale of firearms to prohibited persons. This legislation will fix NICS so that background checks are accurate and reliable.” The text of the bill can be found here. Summary of the bill: Requires federal agencies and states to create NICS implementation plans focused on uploading information to the background check system showing that a person is prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms under current law—including measures to verify the accuracy of records. Holds federal agencies accountable if they fail to upload relevant records to the background check system through public reporting and prohibiting bonus pay for political appointees. Rewards states that comply with their NICS implementation plans through federal grant preferences and incentives, while also increasing accountability through public reporting for those who do not comply with their plans. Reauthorizes and improves important law enforcement programs to help state governments share relevant criminal record information with NICS. Creates a Domestic Abuse and Violence Prevention Initiative to ensure that states have adequate resources and incentives to share relevant information with NICS showing that a felon or domestic abuser is excluded from purchasing firearms under current law. Provides important technical assistance to federal agencies and states that are working to comply with NICS record-sharing requirements. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |