Some states have universal background checks for gun purchases. Lutsenko_Oleksandr/Shutterstock.com Kent E. Portney, Texas A&M University and Carol L. Goldsmith, Texas A&M University In the aftermath of the shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, public debate once again turned to what Congress should do to reduce gun violence. One of the challenges that many policymakers face is understanding the views of the general public.