HR 5005 protects gun industry, neglects gun crime investigations
HR 5005 protects gun industry, neglects gun crime investigations
Wednesday March 29, 2006
"Don't let the name of this legislation fool you, the Firearms Corrections and Improvement Act only serves to improve the chances of somebody getting away with a gun crime.
This bill proposes changes that will undermine federal law and endanger public safety. These are not mere technical corrections, but a blatant attempt to restrict use of the ATF's National Trace Center's database.
This bill cuts local law enforcement out of the loop. Without this tracing data, local law enforcement officials won't be able to pursue civil action on suppliers that have been implicated in crimes without the ATF's involvement. Amazingly, HR 2005 makes sharing this information with another police department a crime.
For example, if a police department on Long Island obtains ballistic information from the ATF, and a similar shooting occurs in New York City, the Long Island department couldn't share the information. In fact, an officer who did share this information would be arrested.
Instead of cracking down on criminals using guns, this bill treat police officers like criminals. Since 9/11, emergency responders in New York and throughout the nation have gone to great lengths to increase interoperability and information sharing. And now HR 5005 comes along and makes information sharing between police departments a crime.
The bill also prevents the ATF from maintaining a database of firearm purchaser information, and since 1% of gun dealers sell 57% of the guns used in crimes, this information is vital for police to conduct investigations and root out dishonest gun dealers.
This bill is the latest in a long line of misguided legislation that puts protecting the gun industry before keeping guns out of the hands of criminals. The gun industry already has immunity from litigation resulting from its negligence or incompetence. The industry can now sell military assault weapons to the general public.
But now this legislation would protect the 1% of dishonest gun dealers who are fueling gun violence throughout the country with their irresponsible business practices.
This legislation does nothing to protect 2nd Amendment Rights. Nothing in this legislation makes it any easier for people to hunt or defend themselves using a firearm.
Simply put, HR 5005 does more to promote gun crimes than gun rights."
http://carolynmccarthy.house.gov/index.cfm?ContentID=542&ParentID=0&SectionID=32&SectionTree=32&lnk=b&ItemID=533