Letter to the editor: Urge reps to support gun background check bill

Please encourage your federal representative to support House Resolution 8 this week in the U.S. House. HR 8 will close the background check loophole that allows gun buyers to bypass FBI background checks on firearm purchases not completed through a licensed dealer — including many transactions completed at gun shows.

The bill does not restrict traditions of passing down cherished firearms from parent to child, nor would it apply retroactively to purchases already completed. It is simply an obvious step to ensure existing requirements preventing gun sales to disqualified individuals will be applied uniformly to all gun buyers, instead of only those attempting to purchase through licensed dealers.

The bill has six co-sponsors among Pennsylvania representatives, all from eastern Pennsylvania. Make sure our representatives from Western Pennsylvania know that the Pittsburgh region also supports sensible legislation that will help reduce gun crime.

This request is written by a lifelong gun owner, hunter, outdoorsman and youth shooting instructor. We need our legislators to take action to reduce the toll gun violence is taking on the country. It is time responsible gun owners and sportsmen/women make their voices heard!

Jonathan Love

Harrison