Politics & Government

Mark Kelly Joins Congressman to Shoot and Talk Gun Control

Retired astronaut Mark Kelly joined Congressman Mike Thompson in Napa County to discuss his gun control legislation.

By Bay City News

Congressman Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, was joined by retired astronaut Capt. Mark Kelly in Napa County Friday afternoon for target shooting while the two discussed proposed legislation to require background checks for gun sales.

Kelly, a retired Navy pilot and NASA shuttle commander, is the husband of former
Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head at a constituent event in Tuscon, Ariz., in January 2011. 

Since surviving the incident, Giffords and her husband, Kelly, have been advocates for gun control even while being gun owners themselves.

The two men practiced on discs at the Napa Police Shooting Range, according to the Press Democrat.

“It's nice when you hit it,” Kelly said, according to the Press Democrat. “It's not fun when you miss. It's like getting a gutter ball.”

Thompson has co-authored a bill with Republican New York Congressman Pete King thatseeks to expand existing background checks to include all commercial firearm sales including those at gun shows, online and in other advertisements.
           
As part of the bill, background checks would be performed by a federally licensed dealer.

Thompson, himself a gun owner and hunter, has emphasized that the bill would not implement a national gun registry.
           
Thompson is the chairman of the congressional Gun Violence Prevention Task Force that held a series of hearings in Washington, D.C., at the beginning of the year to create gun control policy proposals.

Copyright © 2013 by Bay City News, Inc. – Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here