Do you support requiring background checks for all gun sales, including private and gun show sales?

Background

Under current federal law, the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 requires background checks through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System only for firearms sold by federally licensed dealers. Private sales between individuals, including those at gun shows or arranged online, are generally exempt from this requirement. According to a 2017 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, roughly 22 percent of recent gun transfers were completed without a background check. As of January 2025, according to the RAND Corporation, 19 states and the District of Columbia have enacted comprehensive background check laws covering all firearm sales, though the specifics vary by state. In 2024, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives finalized a rule requiring more unlicensed gun sellers to obtain dealer licenses, but gun safety groups like Everytown for Gun Safety say a significant gap in federal law remains. The issue continues to generate debate as states take diverging approaches and mass shootings keep the question of firearms access in the public spotlight.

Supporters of universal background checks argue that extending the existing system to all sales is a common-sense step to keep firearms away from people prohibited from owning them, including convicted felons and individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders. Research cited by Johns Hopkins University found that Missouri's 2007 repeal of its background check requirement was associated with a 25 percent increase in the state's gun homicide rate. Multiple national polls, including surveys by Pew Research Center and Quinnipiac University, have consistently found that roughly 80 to 90 percent of Americans, including majorities of gun owners, support background checks on all gun sales. Opponents, including the National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, counter that universal background checks would burden law-abiding citizens while failing to deter criminals, who typically acquire firearms through theft, straw purchases, or the black market. They also argue that such a system would be unenforceable without a national firearms registry, which is prohibited under federal law. The RAND Corporation has noted that compliance remains a challenge in states that have adopted universal checks, with some studies finding little increase in the number of background checks conducted after passage.

The stakes of this debate extend to public health, constitutional rights, and the daily safety of communities across the country. Gun violence claims tens of thousands of American lives each year through homicides, suicides, and accidents, and how firearms are accessed is central to prevention efforts. At the same time, millions of Americans view gun ownership as a fundamental constitutional right under the Second Amendment, and any regulation must be weighed against those protections. Whether federal law is expanded or the current state-by-state patchwork continues, the outcome will shape who can purchase firearms and under what conditions for years to come.