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Issue record

Guns

In short

Cait Conley's campaign calls her a gun owner and backs universal background checks and funding state red flag laws with due process. Mike Lawler's campaign backs gun rights, red flag laws with due process and safe-storage incentives. On the record, he cosponsored the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which has had no vote. His bill to extend the Undetectable Firearms Act stayed in committee; a 2024 spending law he voted for extended it to 2031.

Campaign positions

What each campaign says.

Cait Conley

A gun owner who would pass universal background checks, close the unlicensed-seller exemption, and fund state red flag laws with due process.

Mike Lawler

Supports gun rights and red flag laws with full due process, cosponsored the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, and backs safe-storage incentives and a ban on gun purchases by anyone with an outstanding warrant.

Evidence timeline

What the record shows.

  1. official action

    Mike Lawler: Matches stated record claim

    He became a cosponsor of H.R. 18 in August 2025, two months after it was introduced; it is in the Judiciary Committee.

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    Full detail

    His campaign says he cosponsored the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. He became a cosponsor of H.R. 18 on August 15, 2025, two months after it was introduced. It is in the Judiciary Committee. Limit: Cosponsoring is all the claim says. The bill has had no vote.

  2. official action

    Mike Lawler: Matches stated direction

    His own 10-year extension bill stayed in committee; the Act was extended to 2031 by spending laws he voted for, which most members also backed.

    Read the full check

    Full detail

    His campaign says he successfully led the fight to extend the Undetectable Firearms Act. He introduced a bill to extend the Act for ten years, H.R. 7040, on January 18, 2024; it stayed in committee. The extension was carried by stopgap spending laws from November 2023, starting with one he voted for, and then by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, which he also voted for and which keeps the Act in force until March 8, 2031. Limit: The Act was extended, and he voted for the first stopgap and the final law. His own bill sought ten years and did not pass; the law gave about seven. The extension rode in large spending bills most members voted for, so the record cannot show that he led the fight.

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Sources12 source records

How we use sources

  1. Policyhttps://caitconley.com/policy/

    Cait for New York · Reviewed Oct 7, 2026

    Twelve policy sections. Undated; read October 1, 2026.

    candidate statement

    For: Cait Conley: campaign position

  2. Issueshttps://www.lawlerforcongress.com/issues/

    Lawler for Congress, Inc. · Reviewed Oct 7, 2026

    Fifteen issue sections, most of them lists of bills and votes he names. Undated; read October 1, 2026.

    candidate statement

    For: Mike Lawler: campaign position; Mike Lawler: Matches stated record claim; Mike Lawler: Matches stated direction

  3. H.R. 18 (119th Congress), Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2025https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/18

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor Mike Thompson. Lawler became a cosponsor on August 15, 2025. In committee.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Lawler: Matches stated record claim

  4. Meet Mikehttps://www.lawlerforcongress.com/about/

    Lawler for Congress, Inc. · Reviewed Oct 7, 2026

    Campaign biography and a list of what it says he has done in Congress. Undated.

    candidate statement

    For: Mike Lawler: Matches stated direction

  5. H.R. 7040 (118th Congress), Undetectable Firearms Reauthorization Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/7040

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsor Lawler. Introduced January 18, 2024, to extend the Act for 10 years; referred to the Judiciary Committee and went no further.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Lawler: Matches stated direction

  6. H.R. 7040 as introducedhttps://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-118hr7040ih/html/BILLS-118hr7040ih.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Jan 18, 2024 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Titled "To extend the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 for 10 years." It strikes "35" and inserts "45" in the Act's sunset.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Lawler: Matches stated direction

  7. Public Law 118-22, Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-118publ22/html/PLAW-118publ22.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Nov 17, 2023 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Signed November 17, 2023. Sec. 138 kept the Undetectable Firearms Act in force through the stopgap's end date in section 106(3).

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Lawler: Matches stated direction

  8. House Roll Call 658, 2023: H.R. 6363, the November 2023 stopgaphttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023658

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    November 14, 2023. Carried 336-95. Lawler is recorded Yea.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Lawler: Matches stated direction

  9. Public Law 118-35, Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-118publ35/html/PLAW-118publ35.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Jan 19, 2024 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Signed January 19, 2024. Moved the stopgap end date in section 106(3) to March 8, 2024, which carried the Undetectable Firearms Act extension with it.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Lawler: Matches stated direction

  10. Public Law 118-40, Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-118publ40/html/PLAW-118publ40.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Mar 1, 2024 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Signed March 1, 2024. Moved the section 106(3) end date to March 22, 2024, again carrying the Undetectable Firearms Act extension.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Lawler: Matches stated direction

  11. Public Law 118-42, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-118publ42/html/PLAW-118publ42.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Mar 9, 2024 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Signed March 9, 2024. Sec. 301 of its title on extensions keeps the Undetectable Firearms Act in force until March 8, 2031.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Lawler: Matches stated direction

  12. House Roll Call 64, 2024: H.Res. 1061, clearing H.R. 4366 for final passagehttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202464

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    March 6, 2024. Carried 339-85. Lawler is recorded Yea.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Lawler: Matches stated direction