With the vote quickly approaching, it’s important for us as Iowans and American citizens to whole-heartedly put our support behind the new universal background check legislation. We need to demonstrate our support to our representatives and senators by demanding that they back this important and necessary proposal.

Universal background check legislation just makes sense. Without limiting gun ownership for law-abiding citizens, background checks protect the rights and lives of all citizens.

Implementing a system of background checks for all gun transactions will lower firearm crime rates while respecting the Second Amendment.

We are morally obligated to try to protect the life of each and every American man, woman and child, and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill is a common-sense step we can take.

We have sympathized with the families and friends of countless victims of gun violence for so long, and now is the time to make a difference. We can’t change the past, but we can use the stories and lives of these victims to fuel a better future.

Our representatives and senators need to know that we support universal background checks and a safer nation for everyone. We need to contact them and require that they support this legislation before another tragedy occurs.

Please contact Representatives Steve King and Tom Latham and Sen. Chuck Grassley. Tell them that we as Iowans and Americans, as coworkers and neighbors, and as friends and family want universal background check legislation and safer communities now.