Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement today regarding her intention to oppose the gun control proposals currently under discussion in the United States Senate:

“During the past two weeks, I traveled across the state to meet with business and community leaders, citizens, and students to listen to their concerns and discuss my work in the U.S. Senate. After speaking directly with my constituents, it is crystal clear that the vast majority of Nebraskans oppose the Senate’s gun control proposals. Thousands of phone calls, letters, and e-mails to my offices further reinforce this position. Accordingly, I intend to use any legislative tools at my disposal to oppose measures curtailing Second Amendment rights and I will oppose efforts to advance related legislation. 

“Furthermore, the proposals currently offered would have little or no effect on violent crime – the very problem we are seeking to address in the first place. A number of federal laws to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals are already on the books. The Department of Justice has under-enforced these laws, choosing not to prosecute individuals who fail existing background checks to purchase firearms. Ensuring that current laws are fully enforced should be our top priority.”

According to a National Criminal Justice Reference Service study, of more than 76,000 people failing to pass their instant background checks when attempting to purchase a gun in 2010, only 4,700 investigations ensued resulting in only 44 prosecutions.