Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid blasted Republicans for allowing agents of the Islamic State to have access to guns in the U.S.
“Yesterday, the FBI confirmed that they are investigating the San Bernardino massacre as an act of terrorism,” Reid said in a statement released Saturday. “The day before that, Republicans voted to ensure that FBI terror suspects can continue to legally purchase as many firearms as they want here in the United States — which is currently legal because of a loophole supported by the [National Rifle Association] and preserved by Republicans blindly doing its bidding.”
Reid is referring to a Senate vote Thursday, where by a 50-47 margin senators rejected an amendment, proposed by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, that would have expanded background checks for gun purchases.
“It is hard to believe, but current law denies law enforcement the tools they need to immediately bar FBI terror suspects from purchasing a gun — even after a suspect pledges allegiance to ISIS and even after the FBI knows the suspect intends to use the firearms to commit a terrorist act,” Reid continued.
Republicans, Reid said, have a “shameful and cowardly obedience” to the NRA.
“Republicans should be ashamed of themselves and their cowardice,” Reid said. “By blocking efforts to give law enforcement the tools they need to keep guns out of the hands of FBI terror suspects, Republicans are leaving every American community vulnerable to an attack by terrorists armed with assault weapons — just like the attacks we saw in Paris and San Bernardino. We can only hope that Republicans come to their senses before it is too late.”
Reid’s statement echoes that of President Obama who said it is “insane” that suspected terrorists are able to legally purchase firearms.
“If you’re too dangerous to board a plane, you’re too dangerous, by definition, to buy a gun. And so I’m calling on Congress to close this loophole, now,” said Obama during his weekly address Saturday.
