Poll: Americans are pretty clueless about what gun laws already exist

Most Americans erroneously think there are universal background checks for gun purchases

These gun supporters may actually like the gun-control proposals Congress is considering.
(Image credit: Getty Imags/Patrick Smith)

As Congress weighs several new proposals to tighten the nation's gun laws, recent polls have found Americans cooling to the general idea of federal action on the issue. Yet at the same time, polls have also found that large majorities of Americans support the specific reforms Congress is considering.

Now, a new survey may provide some insight into that discrepancy. It turns out that Americans aren't too familiar with what laws are already on the books, typically thinking current regulations go much farther than they actually do.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.