By Trish Nelson, Iowa City
Sadly for Iowans, the gun lobby, in April, named Senator Grassley “Legislator of the Year,” calling Grassley a “champion of the firearm and ammunition industry on Capitol Hill.”
Minutes after President Biden addressed our nation about the gun violence that is devastating American families, a shooter opened fire on two women in Ames, killing them.
Grassley responded by posting condolences and prayers on Twitter.
Grassley has accepted over $225,000 from the gun lobby. I won’t list Grassley’s voting record on guns. His new title from the gun lobby speaks for itself.
Americans want Republicans to join with Democrats to close the “boyfriend loophole” that likely would have prevented the Ames shooter from purchasing guns and ammunition. Federal law prohibits domestic abusers from having guns, but the law excludes dating partners. This gap in the law is known as the “boyfriend loophole.” Those two young women should be alive, enjoying their summer.
Americans support background checks, gun legislation that removes assault weapons from our streets and raising the purchase age so kids can’t kill.
This election cycle is an opportunity for Iowa to elect a senator who will support reasonable gun laws and work for Iowa again.
