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Hudson Leads Efforts to Address Gun Violence, Introduces Classrooms Over Conference Rooms Act

March 9, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08) introduced legislation today to address gun violence and improve school safety. The STOP II: Classrooms Over Conference Rooms Act doubles funding for the STOP School Violence Act by taking money set aside for the U.S. Department of Education to rent conference rooms in Washington, D.C. This legislation is one of six bills introduced over the past week by House Republicans to address gun violence. The legislation comes as House Democrats bring up a vote this week on H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446, two bills which threaten the Second Amendment and would not have stopped previous shootings.

"H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 could turn law-abiding citizens into criminals for helping a friend or neighbor and allow the FBI to delay a transfer indefinitely. They also ignore laws already on the books and would have done nothing to prevent previous shootings," said Rep. Hudson. "Instead of gun-grabbing bills that threaten Second Amendment rights, House Republicans are bringing forward targeted solutions to further improve school safety, support mental health, expand information sharing and address actual root causes of gun violence. As a dad, I'm especially proud to lead efforts to increase funding for school safety."

Rep. Hudson's H.R. 1635, the STOP II: Classrooms Over Conference Rooms Act, adds an extra $100 million a year to fund the STOP School Violence Act. That law was signed in 2018 to make schools safer by providing resources to harden schools and train students, teachers, and local law enforcement to help stop school violence before it happens. The funds for Rep. Hudson's bill are taken from money allocated to the U.S. Department of Education to rent conference rooms in Washington, D.C.

Rep. Hudson joined House Republican leadership at a press conference today to discuss this bill and opposition to H.R.8 and H.R. 1446. Watch those remarks here.

H.R. 8 would impose unnecessary and redundant background checks that already occur on all gun sales. This could turn law-abiding citizens into criminals if you store a gun for a friend struggling with mental health, transfer your gun to someone else during a break-in, or loan a handgun to a neighbor with an abusive ex who wanted to borrow it for self-protection. Its limited and unclear exemptions also threaten your ability to loan a gun to a friend or stepchild to hunt or go to a shooting range.

Similarly, HR 1446 would extend the default transfer window for a retail firearm sale from 3 to 10 business days and could allow the FBI to delay a transfer indefinitely. It also fails to address the problem of its so-called "Charleston Loophole" which was a lack of information sharing, not a need for an extended background check period. This issue is addressed by H.R. 1518, the 21st Century NICS Act, introduced by Rep. Tom Rice (SC-07) as part of the package of bills highlighted by Rep. Hudson today.

"As a dad and the author of H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, I have long defended our Second Amendment in Congress and championed legislation to protect public safety," continued Rep. Hudson. "I stand ready to continue working with anyone on bipartisan solutions to end gun violence while protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens – and I reject the false dilemma that we can't have both."

More information on these bills, as well as H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 can be found here.

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