Fix NICS added to congressional spending bill

By Christen Smith

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell speaks after the Republican policy luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 20, 2018. (Photo: Joshua Roberts/Reuters)
The $1.3 trillion congressional spending bill unveiled Wednesday includes a provision aimed at bolstering state and federal reporting to the gun background check system.
The policy rider — lifted from the bipartisan Fix NICS proposal — incentivizes government agencies to ramp up efforts to provide the criminal databases feeding the National Instant Criminal Background Check System with accurate records.
The efficacy of the system came into question last year after former a Airman gunned down 26 parishioners at a Texas church with an AR-15 rifle his assault convictions barred him from owning. Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn co-sponsored the bill with Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, of Connecticut, a week before Thanksgiving.
“The calls from the American people to address gun violence in our schools and communities have been deafening, and I’m grateful we’ll soon get that chance,” Cornyn said. “Fixing the background check system will help save lives and reduce the likelihood of what occurred in Parkland and Sutherland Springs from happening again.”
Fix NICS picked up steam on Capitol Hill after the Valentine’s Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Source: Guns.com