Press Releases

Washington DC – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) announced the reintroduction of The Ammunition Background Check Act of 2023, known as Jaime’s Law, a commonsense bicameral piece of legislation that would require instant background checks to prevent criminals from illegally purchasing ammunition.

Jaime’s Law is named in honor of Jaime Guttenberg, one of 17 victims in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. Original sponsors of this legislation include Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and U.S. Reps. Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Donald Davis (NC-01), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-27), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Lucy McBath, (GA-06), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL) and Linda Sánchez (CA-38).

“If someone is too dangerous to be allowed a gun purchase, they ought to be barred from buying bullets as well. Criminals and domestic abusers ought to be subject to the same background checks whether it’s for the gun or the ammunition,” said Senator Blumenthal. “I hope that bipartisan support will enable us to pass Jaime’s Law, saving lives and helping stop the ongoing gun violence epidemic.”

“No person should endure the agonizing pain of losing someone they love to gun violence. Families in towns and cities across the country who have been touched by this agonizing epidemic are joining Fred Guttenberg and other gun safety advocates to demand Congress address this public health crisis,” said Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz. “I'm proud to reintroduce Jaime’s Law on her birthday, which is a crucial piece of the multifaceted approach needed to end the gun violence epidemic. Closing the ammunition loophole and requiring background checks for ammunition purchases can save lives.”

“Today, my forever 14 daughter Jaime should be turning 20 years old. Instead of a birthday celebration, I will be spending the day with Jaime at the cemetery. It is now over 5 years since Jaime was murdered in her school. Since that day, I have dedicated my life to reducing gun violence. When Jaime was born 20 years ago, we had approximately 200,000,000 guns in America. Today, just 20 years later, we have over 400,000,000 guns in America,” said Fred Guttenberg, founder of Orange Ribbons For Jaime. The reality is that we are all now at risk because of this increase. However, we are not powerless. There is much we can do to stop the next instance of gun violence and for me that begins with ammunition. The time has come to pass Jaime’s Law and extend background checks to ammunition. The reality of gun violence in America will not fix itself. We need this life saving legislation or we will continue to face our current daily reality of gun violence and loss of life. We are better than this. Let’s save lives together and pass Jaime’s Law.” 

“Since my son Jordan was killed and long before I was a Member of Congress, I’ve been working as a survivor and an advocate to pass common-sense legislation that will save American lives. My work is deeply rooted in the fight to prevent the violence and heartbreak that forever changes communities, devastates the families, and took my only son,” said Congresswoman McBath. “We know that universal background checks on all gun sales will save lives, and continuing to ensure that everyone who buys ammunition must also pass a background check keeps us all much safer. It is another piece of common-sense legislation that will prevent families from knowing the pain of losing a loved one to gun violence. Jaime’s law is for families like mine, for families like the Guttenbergs, and for families across the country who are terrified that one day they’re going to send their children off to school and never see them come home.”

“If someone is prohibited by law from purchasing ammunition, they should not be able to buy it. It’s just that simple. The loophole allowing ammunition purchases without a background check weakens our nation’s ability to end senseless and preventable tragedies. Countless Americans would still be alive today were it not for this grave oversight. Brady applauds Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz for honoring Jaime Guttenberg, and all of those lost to preventable gun violence, with action by re-introducing this crucial legislation,” said Brady President Kris Brown.

Many states – including Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, California, and New York – have led the way in requiring a background check to obtain a license to purchase or possess ammunition. However, it is clear that gun safety measures save far more lives when they are enacted nationwide, and don’t allow purchasers to evade background checks by crossing state lines, or shopping for lax state regulations.

Various experts point to enforcement of existing ammunition prohibitions as one of the most non-invasive yet effective strategies for curbing gun violence.

Under current law, dangerous individuals such as violent criminals and  domestic abusers are prohibited from purchasing a firearm as well as ammunition. However, unlike firearms, federal law does not require a background check to prevent the illegal purchase of ammunition. Jamie’s Law would close this loophole by requiring buyers to either provide a license for the firearm or undergo an instant background check using the FBI National Instant Background Check System (NICS) before purchasing the ammunition. NCIS is the same quick and easy process that applies to the purchase of firearms.

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