Coons and Carper back legislation that prevents terrorists from buying weapons

Between 2004 and 2014 over 2,000 suspected terrorists allegedly used an a loophole in U.S. gun laws to buy guns and explosives, because background checks often don’t flag suspected terrorists according to Government Accountability Office.

Tuesday Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper wrote a letter, urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Paul Ryan to schedule a vote to pass legislation that would give the U.S. Attorney General the power to stop those purchases.

The bill called the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015 was introduced in February by Democratic New York Congressman, Pete King.

Locals we spoke to Tuesday, including one Salisbury student said they agree with the proposed bill.

“I think that would be a great idea. I think it would really benefit the people. I think it would benefit the country and all of our safety, because that’s a huge concern given the situation right now around the world,” said Salisbury junior Marissa Spillane.

In 2013 and 2014 FBI data show that 455 people on the terrorist watch list passed firearm related background checks.