Mark Kelly: Background Checks for Guns 'Most Common Sense Thing We Can Do' (VIDEO)
Mark Kelly, an outspoken advocate for gun safety and husband of former Representative Gabrielle "Gabby" Giffords, has said that background checks are necessary to prevent future massacres from happening. He also said that he supported the National Rifle Association's idea to include a mental health record in its system.
"I think any bill that does not include a universal background check is a mistake. It's the most common sense thing we can do to prevent criminals and the mentally ill from having access to weapons," Kelly said on "Fox News Sunday."
Right now nearly 90 percent of Americans support the idea of having universal background checks for gun purchasers. They would possibly prevent someone who should not have a gun from obtaining one and possibly prevent further massacres like those in Aurora, Colo. and in Tucson, Ariz.
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Kelly's wife Gabby was shot in the head by a man who was able to purchase high-capacity magazines "despite evidence of his agitated mental state," the Associated Press reported.
The NRA "absolutely has a point. They are right on that issue," Kelly said. "We need to encourage states to include the mental health record. I would love to work with leadership of the NRA to make sure we get those records in the system."
"One thing that is different now is the fact that we have 20 first graders murdered in a classroom along with six educators. I mean, that's unacceptable and the American people want something done on this," Kelly said.
To that end, Kelly and Giffords have worked together to form a new Political Action Committee (PAC) known as Americans for Responsible Solutions. The PAC aims to engage people in discussion about "ways to reduce gun violence" and support "lawmakers willing to take a stand for responsible policies."
Kelly recently purchased a gun and videotaped the entire ordeal to show how quickly one could purchase a gun, even when filling out an application for a background check.
Watch Kelly's undercover video here:
