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Amy Klobuchar on Gun Control

DFL Sr Senator (MN); Democratic presidential contender

 


Close the boyfriend loophole; no guns for abusers

I would reach out to the leaders of the House and the Senate and legislative leaders throughout our nation. And one of the ways I've done that already is by putting out 100-day plan, with 137 things that the president can do herself. You'd be surprised at what you can do. You can bring in less expensive drugs from other countries by bringing a waiver to bring down the cost of pharmaceuticals. You can do that without passing a bill. You can close the boyfriend loophole, a bill I've been trying to pass for years for gun safety, which says that domestic abusers who are convicted shouldn't be able to go out and get an AK-47. A president can do that herself.

Explanation from Wikipedia: The termÿ"boyfriend loophole"ÿrefers to a gap in American gun legislation that allows access toÿgunsÿby physically abusiveÿex-boyfriendsÿwith previousÿconvictions. Prohibitions from owning firearms only apply if the victim was the perpetrator'sÿspouse,ÿcohabitant, or had a child with the victim.

Source: CNN N. H. Town Hall on eve of 2020 N. H. primary , Feb 6, 2020

Public is with us on background checks & police vetting

The public is with us on this in a big way. The majority of Trump voters want to see universal background checks right now. The majority of hunters want to see us move forward with gun safety legislation. There are three bills right now on Mitch McConnell's desk. The background check bill. My bill so domestic abusers don't get guns. The bill to make it easier for police to vet people before they get a gun. That's what we should be focusing on.
Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate , Oct 15, 2019

Make sure that domestic abusers don't get AK47s

Q: You've often talked about your uncle and the proud hunters back home in Minnesota. So here do you stand on mandatory gun buybacks?

KLOBUCHAR: Everyone up here favors an assault weapon ban. Everyone up here favors magazine limitations, which, by the way, would have made a huge difference if that was in place in El Paso [in a recent mass shooting]. And certainly in Dayton, Ohio, where in 30 seconds, one man guns down innocent people. The cops got there in one minute, and it still wasn't enough to save those people. That's what unites us.

You know what else unites us? And I'll tell you this. What unites us is that right now, on Mitch McConnell's desk, are three bills-universal background checks, closing the Charleston loophole, and passing my bill to make sure that domestic abusers don't get AK-47s.

Source: September Democratic Primary debate in Houston , Sep 12, 2019

Banning assault weapons will reduce fatalities

Q: Where do you stand on mandatory gun buybacks?

KLOBUCHAR: Everyone here favors an assault weapon ban. Everyone here favors magazine limitations, which, by the way, would have made a huge difference if that was in place in El Paso [in a recent mass shooting]. And certainly in Dayton, Ohio, where in 30 seconds, one man guns down innocent people. The cops got there in one minute, and it still wasn't enough to save those people.

Source: September Democratic Primary debate in Houston , Sep 12, 2019

We passed universal background checks and NRA blocked it

Mayor Pete BUTTIGIEG: Something is broken [because since I was in high school we have been having] the same debate around the same solutions that we all know are the right thing to do. They won't prevent every incident. They won't save every life. But we know what to do, and it has not happened.

KLOBUCHAR: What is broken is a political system that allows the NRA and other large, big money to come in and make things not happen when the majority of people are for. The people are with us now. After the Parkland [mass shooting], those students just didn't march. They talked to their dads and the hunters in their family, and they said there must be a better way. Then we elected people in the House of Representatives. And guess what? It changed, and they passed universal background checks. And now that bill is sitting on Mitch McConnell's doorstep because of the money and the power of the NRA. As president, I will take them on.

Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) , Jul 30, 2019

Gun violence is about politicians folding to the NRA

This isn't just about a system, or it's not just about words. This is about the NRA. I sat across from the president of the United States after Parkland, and I watched and wrote down when, nine times, he said he wanted universal background checks. The next day, he goes and he meets with the NRA, and he folds. As your president, I will not fold. I will make sure that we get universal background checks passed, the assault weapon ban, that we do something about magazines.
Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) , Jul 30, 2019

No gun confiscation; sensible gun laws don't hurt hunters

Q: Some Democrats support gun buy-backs -- opponents will call that gun confiscation, right? If the government is buying back, how do you not have that conversation?

Amy Klobuchar: That's not confiscation. You could give them the offer to buy back their gun.I look at these proposals and I say, does this hurt my Uncle Dick and his deer stand, coming from a proud hunting and fishing state? These proposals don't do that. Now these Parkland kids from Florida, they started a national shift. You know why? It's just like with gay marriage. When kids talked to their parents and their grandparents, they say I don't understand why we can't put these sensible things in place, they listen. And if we get bested by a bunch of 17-year-olds it's the best thing that ever happened.

Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami) , Jun 26, 2019

Commonsense gun laws have wide support

I always look at every proposal and say, "Would this hurt my Uncle Dick in the deer stand?" And I would say that these commonsense proposals in front of us do not. I don't see banning assault weapons hurts in the deer stand. We should join the majority of Americans, and actually many gun owners, in having the courage to pass commonsense gun safety legislation.
Source: CNN Town Hall: 2020 presidential hopefuls , Feb 18, 2019

Sensible reforms like enhanced background checks

Sen. Jeff SESSIONS [R, AL]: If the Heller court were to be reversed, that would mean that any city, county or state could completely ban the use of firearms. The Heller decision was 5-4 in the Supreme Court. Now that Scalia has passed away, the next president will appoint the 5th vote. If Hillary Clinton is elected president, she will appoint a judge who will declare it not to be a personal right.

KLOBUCHAR: I believe in the Second Amendment and I believe Hillary Clinton does as well. But what she's been talking about here is simply something that the vast majority of the American people believe in, and that is some background checks--which the Supreme Court has left open in its gun decision--that you could have more enhanced background checks. The idea that you shouldn't have stalkers be able to go out and get a gun, I think would [provide] vast hope in saving lives, including the fact that people on the terror watch list can still get guns. Those are some sensible reforms.

Source: Fox News Sunday 2016: interviews for 2016 Veepstakes , Jun 12, 2016

I would do nothing to hurt hunting

In terms of legal guns, I would do nothing to hurt hunting. We spend $50 million per year on fishing and hunting -- it’s an important part of our culture and economy in Minnesota. I do not see a need right now for a bunch of new laws on guns that would effect people who are out their hunting, or out there legally with guns.
Source: MN 2006 Senate debates - MPR interview , Jan 26, 2006

Extend the ban on assault weapons

Q: What about assault weapons?

A: I did favor extending the ban on assault weapons. Unfortunately, we didn’t prevail.

Source: MN 2006 Senate debates - MPR interview , Jan 26, 2006

Voted YES on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets.

Congressional Summary:

Proponent's Argument for voting Yes: Sen. BLUMENTHAL: This amendment would ban high-capacity magazines which are used to kill more people more quickly and, in fact, have been used in more than half the mass shootings since 1982. I ask my colleagues to listen to law enforcement, their police, prosecutors who are outgunned by criminals who use these high-capacity magazines. I ask that my colleagues also listen to the families of those killed by people who used a high-capacity magazine.

Opponent's Argument for voting No: Sen. GRASSLEY. I oppose the amendment. In 2004, which is the last time we had the large-capacity magazine ban, a Department of Justice study found no evidence banning such magazines has led to a reduction in gun violence. The study also concluded it is not clear how often the outcomes of the gun attack depend on the ability of offenders to fire more than 10 shots without reloading. Secondly, there is no evidence banning these magazines has reduced the deaths from gun crimes. In fact, when the previous ban was in effect, a higher percentage of gun crime victims were killed or wounded than before it was adopted. Additionally, tens of millions of these magazines have been lawfully owned in this country for decades. They are in common use, not unusually dangerous, and used by law-abiding citizens in self-defense, as in the case of law enforcement.

Reference: Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act; Bill S.Amdt. 714 to S. 649 ; vote number 13-SV103 on Apr 17, 2013

Voted YES on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains.

Congressional Summary:AMENDMENT PURPOSE: To ensure that law abiding Amtrak passengers are allowed to securely transport firearms in their checked baggage.

On page 37, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following: "Allowing Amtrak Passengers to Securely Transport Firearms on Passenger Trains.--None of amounts made available in the reserve fund authorized under this section may be used to provide financial assistance for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) unless Amtrak passengers are allowed to securely transport firearms in their checked baggage.

Proponent's argument to vote Yes:Sen. ROGER WICKER (R, MS). This amendment aims to ensure that gun owners and sportsmen are able to transport securely firearms aboard Amtrak trains in checked baggage, a practice that is done thousands of times a day at airports across the country. I emphasize that this amendment deals with checked, secured baggage only. It would return Amtrak to a pre-9/11 practice. It does not deal with carry-on baggage. Unlike the airline industry, Amtrak does not allow the transport of firearms in checked bags. This means that sportsmen who wish to use Amtrak trains for hunting trips cannot do so because they are not allowed to check safely a firearm.

Opponent's argument to vote No:Sen. FRANK LAUTENBERG (D, NJ): I object to this disruptive amendment offered by the Senator from Mississippi. He wants to enable the carrying of weapons, guns, in checked baggage. One doesn't have to be very much concerned about what we are doing when they look at the history of attacks on railroads in Spain and the UK and such places. This amendment has no place here interrupting the budgetary procedure. The pending amendment is not germane and, therefore, I raise a point of order that the amendment violates section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

Reference: Wicker Amendment; Bill S.Amdt.798 to S.Con.Res.13 ; vote number 2009-S145 on Apr 2, 2009

Voted YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership.

Amendment SA 2774 to H.R. 2764, the Department of State's International Aid bill: To prohibit the use of funds by international organizations, agencies, and entities (including the United Nations) that require the registration of, or taxes guns owned by citizens of the United States.

Proponents support voting YES because:

Sen. VITTER: This is a straight funding limitation amendment. Many folks who haven't followed the proceedings on this in the U.N. may ask: What is this all about? Unfortunately, it is about an effort in the United Nations to bring gun control to various countries through that international organization. Unfortunately, that has been an ongoing effort which poses a real threat, back to 1995. In 2001, the UN General Assembly adopted a program of action designed to infringe on second amendment rights. The Vitter amendment simply says we are not going to support any international organization that requires a registration of US citizens' guns or taxes US citizens' guns. If other folks in this Chamber think that is not happening, that it is never going to happen, my reply is simple and straightforward: Great, then this language has no effect. It is no harm to pass it as a failsafe. It has no impact. But, in fact, related efforts have been going on in the U.N. since at least 1995. I hope this can get very wide, bipartisan support, and I urge all my colleagues to support this very fundamental, straightforward amendment.

No opponents spoke against the bill.

Reference: Vitter Amendment to State Dept. Appropriations Bill; Bill S.Amdt. 2774 to H.R. 2764 ; vote number 2007-321 on Sep 6, 2007

Ban large-capacity ammunition.

Klobuchar co-sponsored Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act

Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act

Source: H.R.138&S.33 13-S0033 on Jan 22, 2013

Restrict right to bear arms, according to CC survey.

Klobuchar supports the CC survey question on Second Amendment

The Christian Coalition Voter Guide inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Further Restrictions on the Right to Keep and Bear Arms' Christian Coalition's self-description: "Christian Voter Guide is a clearing-house for traditional, pro-family voter guides. We do not create voter guides, nor do we interview or endorse candidates."

Source: Christian Coalition Surve 18CC-10 on Jul 1, 2018

Co-sponsored background check for every firearm sale.

Klobuchar co-sponsored the Bipartisan Background Checks Act

H.R.8: To require a background check for every firearm sale. This Act may be cited as the "Background Check Expansion Act".