Heck favors universal background checks for gun buyers

U.S. Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., said Tuesday that he favors universal background checks for people who buy guns — whether from dealers or individuals — as one way to prevent violent or mentally ill people from getting firearms.

He said he remains opposed to banning assault weapons or limiting ammunition clip sizes.

Heck’s comments during a meeting with the Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial board come amid a national debate on gun violence and a push by President Barack Obama for new preventive measures in the wake of mass shootings such as the one at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, where a gunman killed 20 students and six adults.

Heck said he backs expanding background checks because law-abiding gun owners who undergo them now when buying firearms from licensed dealers shouldn’t worry about the same checks for private sales.

“I think the idea of background checks across the board, I’m not opposed to them,” Heck said. “I disagree with people who say that this is going to be the first step to gun registration, which leads to gun confiscation.”

Heck said about 40 percent of gun owners already undergo background checks, which are meant to determine whether a buyer is allowed to have a gun in this country. Felons, fugitives, people under domestic restraining orders and those legally judged insane aren’t allowed to buy guns.

“For law-abiding citizens that want to own a weapon, I don’t see why they would be adverse to undergoing that check just like you would if you walked into the gun store,” Heck said.

Now, background checks aren’t required for private firearms sales, including at gun shows in Nevada where thousands of weapons trade hands every year. Potential buyers are charged $25 for a background check here.

Tracy Olcott, vice president of the Crossroads of the West Gun Shows, said so-called “transfer dealers” at some gun shows can run background checks for private sales in exchange for a cut of the sale price. But she said a universal background check requirement might not be viable because it could overload the system.

“It would basically halt gun sales,” Olcott said in an interview. “They just don’t have enough people to do that.”

About 15,000 people are expected to attend a March 2-3 Crossroads of the West Gun Shows event at Cashman Field Center in Las Vegas, Olcott said, adding business is booming amid renewed gun control efforts.

Heck said some details would have to be worked out for universal background checks, including to determine what would happen in cases in which a father wants to pass a gun down to his son, for example. Heck said there also might need to be a way to get pre-approved if someone plans to buy a private firearm at a gun show.

“I think if somebody is going to the gun show with an intent to buy a gun — whether it’s a private sale or from a gun dealer who’s there who can run the background check — why should you, if you’re at this booth, not have to go through a background check?” Heck asked, referring to the private booth.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators in Washington is reported to be close to reaching a compromise proposal to expand the gun background check system, which appears to be the most likely thing to pass Congress this year.

Obama has called for background checks on all gun sales and banning military style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. The original assault weapons ban expired in 2004 after 10 years.

The National Rifle Association has strongly opposed any new gun measures.

Heck said he hasn’t heard directly from the NRA. But he said he doesn’t believe a new assault weapons ban or limiting high-capacity magazines would prevent gun violence or mass killings.

The congressman cited statistics suggesting it’s unclear what effect the assault weapons ban had.

From 1982 until the 1994 ban, 58 percent of mass killings — four or more victims — were blamed on assault weapons, he said. During the ban, the percentage dropped to 40. Since the ban expired, the percentage has dropped to 25, he added.

“Was it the ban that made the difference, or background checks?” Heck asked. “You can’t attribute it to the ban because it went even lower post ban.”

Asked about limiting clip sizes, Heck said, “There hasn’t been any documented research that shows that a number of bullets in a clip makes a difference.” An Army reserve officer, Heck said it takes less than three seconds to change a magazine.

“You’ve got somebody who’s doing this who is committed to perpetrating an act of violence,” Heck said. “They’re going to find a way whether they come with two 15-round, semiautomatic handgun clips or three 10-rounds. This is for the most part premeditated. They’ve made a plan. And so they’ll figure out a way to get to that end that they want to achieve.”

Heck, who represents the 3rd Congressional District, said his constituents are split about 50-50 on whether Congress needs to take more gun control measures.

Heck said he believes the problem needs to be addressed at several levels. He said the federal background database must be updated to ensure all the criminal and mental health records are being properly filed. He also said mental health services must be increased to ensure potentially violent people are getting help before tragedy strikes.

“Now you have an opportunity for people who shouldn’t have a gun to be able to get a gun,” Heck said, referring to the holes in the background records database.

Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Follow @lmyerslvrj on Twitter.