TALLAHASSEE Fla.-- United States Senator Bill Nelson spoke on the Senate floor about a bill he filed Wednesday, that would ensure the FBI was alerted if a terrorism suspect tries to buy a gun.
Nelson says the recent Orlando nightclub tragedy, which was the deadliest mas shooting in American history, could have been prevented if this kind of bill was in place.
Omar Mateen, the suspect in the nightclub shootings, had been on the terror watch list for over two years, and was questioned 3 times by the FBI before agents closed the case.
"We're not saying: don't sell guns to someone just because they were investigated," Nelson said. "But having a system in place that alerts the FBI if someone they once investigated is suddenly trying to purchase multiple assault weapons is just common sense."
Nelson's Bill would not automatically bar anyone previously investigated from buying a gun, it would just enroll those people into the national instant criminal background check system.
In addition to the legislation filed Wednesday, which will now head to the Senate's Judiciary Committee for consideration, Nelson cosponsored a broader measure that would, among other things, prohibit known or suspected terrorists on government watch lists, such as the No-Fly list, from purchasing a firearm.
