2021: Fitzpatrick Voted To Expand The Prohibition Of Individuals
Convicted Of Crimes Related To Domestic Violence From Owning A Firearm,
Including Those Convicted Of Stalking And Crimes Against Dating
Partners, And Individuals Subject To Restraining Orders. In March
2021, Fitzpatrick voted for the Violence Against Women Reauthorization
Act of 2021 which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "expand
prohibitions on firearm ownership by individuals convicted in relation
to domestic violence to include individuals convicted of stalking
offenses or crimes against dating partners, as well as individuals
subject to temporary protective orders." The vote was on passage. The
House passed the bill by a vote of 244-172. The Senate did not take
substantive action on the bill. [House Vote 86,
3/17/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/17/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1620]
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act Of 2021 Drew
Republican Opposition Over The Provision That Would Prohibit Someone
From Purchasing A Firearm Due To Certain Misdemeanors. According
to Congressional Quarterly, "The legislation (HR 1620) has support
from a handful of Republicans heading into Thursday's debate, but it
has also attracted GOP opposition over provisions that lower the
threshold to bar someone from buying a gun based on certain
misdemeanors." [Congressional Quarterly,
3/16/21]
The Most Controversial Provision Would Ban Individuals With
Misdemeanor Convictions Of Domestic Abuse And Stalking From
Purchasing Firearms. According to NPR, "The most contentious issue
in the House-passed bill is a provision that expands the criminal
threshold to bar an individual from buying a gun to include
misdemeanor convictions of domestic abuse or stalking." [NPR,
3/17/21]
The Bill Would Expand The Who Is Affected By Gun Restrictions To
Include Dating Partners In Attempt To Close The "Boyfriend
Loophole." According to NPR, "It would also close the so-called
boyfriend loophole to expand the definition of who is affected by
existing gun prohibitions to include dating partners." [NPR,
3/17/21]
The National Rifle Association Opposed The Bill For The Second
Time Due To The Gun Provisions. According to NPR, "In 2019, the
National Rifle Association opposed the legislation for the first
time, which put GOP lawmakers in a tough political position of
voting against a popular law to support victims of domestic and
sexual violence, or voting against the gun lobby. The NRA continues
to oppose the legislation because of the gun provisions." [NPR,
3/17/21]
2019: Fitzpatrick Voted To Reauthorize The Violence Against Women Act,
Which Had Provisions Expanding Restrictions On Who Cannot Own A Firearm
To Include Those Convicted Of Abusing Dating Partners Or Those Subject
To A Temporary Restraining Order. In February 2019, Fitzpatrick voted
for legislation reauthorizing VAWA. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "This bill reauthorizes through FY 2024 programs enacted
under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and it modifies the
programs to further help state and local governments improve strategies
to combat violent crimes against women and to strengthen victim
services. It makes it a crime for police officers to sexually assault
those under arrest; it increases prison sentences for those who stalk
minors and applies domestic violence penalties against those who commit
violence against a current or former dating partner; it allows the
victims of domestic violence to terminate a housing lease without
penalty and requires federal housing officials to provide emergency
transfers to different housing units if an individual believes he or she
is threatened with imminent harm or a sexual assault recently occurred
on the property; and it prohibits individuals from begin denied
unemployment benefits solely because they lost or left their job due to
domestic violence, sexual assault or other harassment. The measure also
expands existing prohibitions on the ability of individuals to purchase
firearms if they have been convicted of domestic violence by including
those who abused dating partners as well as individuals subject to
temporary court restraining orders, and it allows certain VAWA grant
monies to be used toward efforts to recover and store firearms from
individuals convicted of domestic violence." The vote was on passage.
The House passed the legislation by a vote of 263 to 158. [House Vote
156, 4/4/19;
Congressional Quarterly,
3/29/19;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1585]