Although when asked a political question, Congresswoman Loren Underwood demurred, saying this was not a “political meeting,” but a “neutral non-partisan” one, the man who introduced her saying he was a former Federal official who interacted with Congress announced he had been her campaign person in Sun City.

The most interesting part of the meeting to me was her comments on gun control.

Universal background checks were at the top of her list.

She wants to close the loopholes for gun show, online and interpersonal transfers.

Underwood supports ending the practice of allowing guns to be sold if the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (AFT) folks don’t reply to a background check request in three days.

She referenced the Aurora factory shooting and “since that time, there have been so many mass shootings.”

A constant refrain during the meeting was the U.S. Senate’s refusal to consider the many bills sent over from the House.

Referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, she said, “If he doesn’t like our background check bill, write your own..

A Conference Committee composed of appointees from both houses of Congress would then come up with a compromise.

Asked about a “buy back” idea, she said, “It should be an option.”

Then she invited people to a Saturday night event from a spin-off of the Florida Parkland High School student organization.

Details are below:

Wally Gullang asked, “What good is it if gun laws are not enforced?”

The Member of Congress replied that an appropriations bill sent to the Senate had more money for ATF.

She then shared what she had discovered from ATF agents at teir gun range.

ATF is only allowed to visit a gun dealer once a year.

“They can’t return until the next calendar year..

She cited “lean staffing” meant that the average gun dealer only gets visited once every five years.

Gun dealers records are also kept on record, rather than on computer.

“That blows my mind,” she said.

If the Senate does not pass appropriations bills, she explained, the ATF will not get the extra money approved by the House.

Instead there will be a continuing resolution, which typically authorizes the spending of the same amount as in the previous year.

She noted the House also appropriated $50 million the the National Institutes of Health and another $50 million to the CDC to “study gun violence as a public health issue.”

A man wondered why other countries with widespread gun ownership, e.g., Switzerland, don’t have gun violence.

“What is it abour our society that we have such [a lot of gun violence]?”

The reply from Underwood: “I don’t know.”

She pointed to the inconsisten state regulations of guns, a robust black market, widespread availability amd a mental health crisis in our country.

She emphasized that she was “not in any way suggesting {mental health problems were the reason for gun violence].”

“In general, there is a lot of violence in our country” adding too many have bad “coping skills.”

She also cited the “unwillingness ot many officials to stand up to the very, very, very, very, very [strong] corporate lobby.”

Never mentioning the National Rifle Associaiton by name, she continued by characterizing “membership [being] part of their identity…therefore any attempt to save lives is a driect threat to their [identity].