WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned witnesses in the “See Something, Say Something: Oversight of the Parkland Shooting and Legislative Proposals to Improve School Safety” in today’s hearing. In the first panel, Sen. Coons questioned Acting Deputy Director of the FBI, Dave Bowdich, Acting Director of the ATF, Thomas Brandon, and Chief of the National Threat Assessment Center at the U.S. Secret Service, Lina Alathari. For video of the questions of this panel, click HERE.
Senator Coons concluded the first session by discussing the Toomey-Coons NICS Denial Notification Act, which would require federal authorities to alert state law enforcement within 24 hours when individuals “lie and try” to purchase firearms.
“The voices of students from across my state, from Parkland, and from all over our country are asking us to find responsible ways to work together,” Said Sen. Coons. “Virtually every one of my colleagues who I’ve been with us today have introduced bills that would tackle this problem from a wide range of areas. This strikes me as one of a dozen, whether it’s banning bump stocks, whether it’s limiting magazines, or whether it’s making sure that the NICS system and background checks are made universal and effective, we should be doing this in the interests of our communities our families and our children.”