Congressional responses on gun policy

How North Carolina's members of Congress responded when we asked them six questions from our WRAL News poll on guns and mental health.


RALEIGH, N.C. — In a recent statewide poll, WRAL News found divergent opinions on guns and mental health. We asked North Carolina's members of Congress six of the same questions as were in the survey.

Of the state's 2 Senators and 13 Congressmen, only 13 were willing to answer the poll questions directly. Sen. Richard Burr, Rep. G.K. Butterfield and Rep. David Price all answered WRAL's specific questions, often adding their own thoughts in addition to selecting an answer as survey participants did. For these three lawmakers, readers should have a clear idea of what legislative proposals on firearms they might support or oppose.

Others replied by way of written statements, which may or may not have addressed the survey questions put to them. Most members relied on statements formulated in response to President Barack Obama's gun violence prevention proposals. The six questions asked by WRAL were:

  • Should criminal background checks be required for every person who wants to purchase a firearm? Or not?
  • Do you think teachers who are licensed to carry a handgun (as with a concealed handgun permit) should or should not be allowed to carry their gun while in school?
  • Would you support or oppose a law that limits how much ammunition a gun can hold at once?
  • Would you support or oppose a law that limits how much ammunition can be purchased at one time?
  • If the government were able to require a reduced amount of violence in entertainment, would it reduce the incidence of mass shootings a lot, a little or not at all?
  • Would you support or oppose a law requiring a nationwide ban on semi-automatic weapons, which automatically load the next bullet after a shot is fired?