WASHINGTON (WAND) - A federal bill has been introduced that officials said would close a loophole that allows guns to be sold without a completed background check.
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth D-IL) have joined other senators across the country in introducing the "Background Check Completion Act."
The legislation, they said, will close a current loophole that allows gun sales to go forward if a background check is not completed after three business days, even if the gun buyer is not legally allowed to buy a firearm.
Critics said this loophole has allowed for thousands of gun sales to prohibited buyers, including the sale of the gun used by the shooter in the deadly attack at Charleston's Emmanuel AME Church.
Duckworth said, "It's just common sense that if you can't pass a background check, you shouldn't be able to purchase a firearm."
Durbin said, "Closing this loophole has overwhelming public support and will help keep guns out of the hands of those who are dangerous."
However, not everyone agrees the legislation would be effective. Dan Cooley, owner of the Bullet Trap, said he estimates 99% of background checks are already completed with the allotted three business days.
"The number of people this will affect is very, very, very small," Cooley said.
Cooley also said if a background check takes too long, it could infringe on the buyer's constitutional rights.
"Now you've denied someone their 2nd amendment rights to self-protection," he said. "What's the reasonable amount of time? The law says it's 72 hours...
Now they're given a carte blanche ability, by virtue of not responding, to deny second amendment rights."
In addition to Durbin and Duckworth, the act has been co-sponsored by more than 20 other U.S. Senators. The senators say more than 10 prohibited people a day are sold guns by dealers who do not wait for a completed background check.
To read the full text of the legislation, click HERE.
