Perhaps the very honest catchphrase “a right delayed is a right denied” inspired gun-control activists to push for this legislation in the U.S. Senate.
As they’re desperate to infringe upon this individual right, a usual suspects’ list of anti-gun U.S. senators are backing S.3458, the Background Check Completion Act of 2025 led by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). Co-sponsors include Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
The gun-control groups supporting this bill are trying to sell it with the alliterative slogan: “no check, no gun.”
What it would actually do is allow the government to delay a sale for as long as an agency likes—hence, the “right denied” part of the slogan.
This gun-control legislation would prohibit Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) from completing a firearm transfer to a prospective buyer until the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) verification returns an approval.
To a person who has never dealt with a government agency, perhaps this might sound reasonable. But, with even a little thought, any reasonable person would understand why it is not, as this legislation would allow activists in government to delay this right almost indefinitely. This change would also take the pressure off even a well-intentioned bureaucrat by letting them move as slowly as they like; indeed, it would arguably be in the bureaucrat’s interest to stall and stall, as any mistake could be blamed on them.
This is why the NRA has long advocated for a default proceed. Currently, under federal law, when a background check cannot be quickly resolved, NICS issues a delay. This delay can stop a possible sale for three full business days; after that, if an FFL has not been told the sale is denied, and they see no other legal reason not to make the sale, they can move forward. This is a failsafe feature designed to keep the government from denying a legal firearm transfer via bureaucratic red tape and forcing the purchaser into an endless delay loop.
For the previously mentioned reasons, these anti-Second Amendment senators would like to take away this safety measure. They clearly know that a right delayed is a right denied.
