Friend,

Did you hear the good news? The House just passed H.R. 8, which means we’re one step closer to passing Universal Background Checks at the federal level.

It’s up to the Senate now to move this legislation forward, and that will take bipartisan support. Senator Toomey has supported expanded background checks before — tell him to support them again and make them part of his legacy.

Will you tell Senator Toomey to vote YES on the Background Check Expansion Act of 2021?

Frances Patano
Communications Manager, CeaseFirePA

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From: Adam Garber <[email protected]>
Date: Monday, March 8, 2021 at 11:23 AM
Subject: Tell Sen. Toomey: Expand background checks to save lives

Up to a quarter of all firearm sales in the United States don’t get a background check. These sales — between private, unlicensed, or online sellers — can put deadly weapons in the hands of people intent on committing violence, if they find a willing seller.

Last week’s reintroduction of the Background Check Expansion Act could change that, but only if Senator Toomey will step up.

The new Democratic majority in the Senate has made gun safety a priority. But the margin of support for the bill is razor-thin. And to overcome a filibuster, we need Senator Toomey to cosponsor this bill. He has supported expanded background checks before, but he hasn’t committed to anything yet.

Senator Toomey has supported some background checks expansion in the past, but his efforts have never come up for a vote. And the bill he introduced left critical loopholes in place. The Background Check Expansion Act will ensure the nation has a comprehensive background check system. 

With a bipartisan majority of Congress supporting universal background checks, and a President committed to common-sense gun control, we have a renewed opportunity to pass bold gun safety laws. And Senator Toomey has the chance to make it clear he really supports gun safety policies.

Ask Senator Toomey to stand up now.

Passing universal background checks isn’t just good policy — it’s what Pennsylvanians want. Over 85% of gun owners believe in expanding background checks, and the expansion act was introduced in the House with bipartisan support. In a time of historic division, Americans can agree on this: we need to expand background checks.

Senator Toomey must uphold his commitment to gun safety for Pennsylvanians. Tell Sen. Toomey it's time to pass universal background checks.

Adam Garber
Executive Director, CeaseFirePA