How Congress Has Dithered as the Innocent Get Shot

Gun control laws included here are: expanding background checks, closing the “Charleston loophole,” improving record reporting, closing the “terror gap,” banning bump stocks, addressing gun trafficking, closing the “boyfriend loophole,” and creating a “red flags” process. A mass shooting involves four or more people injured or killed in a single event at the same time and location. Mass shooting estimates available after Jan. 13, 2013.

Efforts to expand background checks and prevent gun trafficking fail in the Senate.

Bill is introduced to close the “boyfriend loophole,” which enables domestic abusers to possess guns if they are not married to their victims.

Senate holds a hearing on closing the “boyfriend loophole,” but it never goes up for a vote.

Legislation considered the “Charleston loophole,” which allows dealers to complete gun sales if background check takes longer than three business day. No hearing or vote is held.

Efforts to expand background checks and prevent terrorism suspects from buying firearms fail in the Senate.

Efforts to expand background checks and prevent terrorism suspects from buying firearms fail in the Senate.

Another vote is held on a measure to prevent terrorism suspects from buying firearms, but it does not pass.

Bills are introduced to ban “bump stocks” that mimic automatic fire, but no votes have been taken.

Bills are introduced to improve reporting to the federal background check system.

A bill to improve reporting in the federal background check system passes the House, but it is packaged with a “concealed carry reciprocity” bill, a priority for the gun lobby.

“Red flags” bill introduced, enabling courts to block someone from having a gun if he or she poses a risk to self or others.

House background checks bill reaches 200 co-sponsors, nearing the 218-vote threshold to pass.

As part of omnibus spending package, Trump signs a bill to improve record reporting for the existing background check system.

Gun control laws included here are: expanding background checks, closing the “Charleston loophole,” improving record reporting, closing the “terror gap,” banning bump stocks, addressing gun trafficking, closing the “boyfriend loophole,” and creating a “red flags” process. A mass shooting involves four or more people injured or killed in a single event at the same time and location. Mass shooting estimates available after Jan. 13, 2013.

Efforts to expand background checks and prevent gun trafficking fail in the Senate.

Bill is introduced to close the “boyfriend loophole,” which enables domestic abusers to possess guns if they are not married to their victims.

Bills introduced to fund state “red flag” laws for people who pose a risk to self or others.

Senate holds a hearing on closing the “boyfriend loophole,” but it never goes up for a vote.

Legislation considered the “Charleston loophole,” which allows dealers to complete gun sales if background check takes longer than three business days. No hearing or vote is held.

Efforts to expand background checks and prevent terrorism suspects from buying firearms fail in the Senate.

Efforts to expand background checks and prevent terrorism suspects from buying firearms fail in the Senate.

Another vote is held on a measure to prevent terrorism suspects from buying firearms, but it does not pass.

Bills introduced to ban “bump stocks” that mimic automatic fire, but no votes have been taken.

Bills are introduced to improve reporting to the federal background check system.

A bill to improve reporting in the federal background check system passes the House, but it is packaged with a “concealed carry reciprocity” bill, a priority for the gun lobby.

House background checks bill reaches 200 co-sponsors, nearing the 218-vote threshold to pass.

“Red flags” bill introduced, enabling courts to block someone from having a gun if he or she poses a risk to self or others.

As part of omnibus spending package, Trump signs a bill to improve record reporting for the existing background check system.