Peter Welch

Peter Welch has been a champion for working Vermonters throughout his career. Since his election to Congress in 2006, he has been widely recognized as a thoughtful and effective legislator who chooses governing over gridlock.

Peter’s record reflects his strong commitment to bringing people together to find common sense solutions to the difficult challenges facing our state and nation. In an era of partisanship, he has worked across the aisle to create jobs, increase access to affordable education and health care, invest in energy efficiency, protect our environment, and care for our veterans.

Common Sense Gun Safety Reform

Peter believes we need to enact common-sense gun safety reforms to address the epidemic of gun violence in our country. Peter also believes these reforms can be enacted without undermining Second Amendment Constitutional rights.

Working to pass universal background checks for gun purchases
- Cosponsored the Bipartisan Background Checks Act to close gun sale loopholes and require background checks on all commercial gun sales
Advancing a ban on assault weapons
- Cosponsored the Assault Weapons Ban Act to prohibit the sale of military-style weapons
Advocating for additional common-sense reforms
- Supports provisions to remove the prohibition on gun violence research by the CDC
- Working to ban bump stocks and limit the size of ammunition clips
- Cosponsored the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act, a “red flag” bill, to allow relatives and law enforcement to temporarily remove firearms from an individual in crisis