Gun Trace Data Under Attack in Congress -- Call Chairman Rogers Today

[RLMoeller]

From an alert sent this morning by the NSSF:

In the wake of the Fast and Furious scandal and a decision by the Department of Justice to approve multiple sales reporting of long guns along the Southwest border, last night Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-29) announced his intention to offer an amendment that would strip from an appropriations bill an important law enforcement protection, known as the Tiahrt Amendment, that safeguards law enforcement-only firearms tracing data. The Schiff amendment would allow access to law enforcement trace data by those outside of law enforcement. Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA-15) will offer an amendment supported by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg that will continue the recently launched regulatory assault on the firearms industry.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation -- the trade association for America's firearms industry -- is urging all members of industry, sportsmen, gun-owners and firearms enthusiasts to call Rep. Harold Rogers (R-VA-10), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee at (202) 225-2771 and urge the committee to VOTE NO on the Schiff and Honda amendments, and any other amendments that undermine the law enforcement protections provided for in the Tiahrt Amendment and any anti-gun amendments that would place additional and costly regulatory burdens on members of the firearms industry.

Public disclosure of gun trace data, including to elected officials, is dangerous. That is why several years ago Congress approved further restrictions on the access and use of this data in order to safeguard law enforcement and ensure compliance with provisions of the federal Gun Control Act. The measures ensure that the data remain only in the hands of law enforcement for criminal investigations and prosecutions.

The best argument for restricting access to this data is a well-known elected official from New York City. Several years ago, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg had the NYPD inappropriately obtain trace data not for a criminal investigation but for use in preparing a civil lawsuit. He turned the data over to private eyes who conducted so-called sting operations of out-of-state federally licensed firearms retailers. He did so without the knowledge of ATF or even his own police commissioner. As a result, Mayor Bloomberg interfered with as many as 18 ongoing criminal investigations, jeopardizing the lives of law enforcement officers, informants, witnesses and others. In fact, ATF was forced to pull agents out of field for their own protection.

The Honda amendment would impose significant cost to manufacturers by requiring them to manually and physically match each and ever single serial number of the firearms in inventory to the individual record entry in the manufacturer's acquisition and distribution record causing the manufacturers to shut down their factory for lengthy time periods.

The hearing is taking place NOW -- ACT IMMEDIATELY by calling (202) 225-2771.

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Visit NSSF's Government Relations site at nssf.org/GovRel.

[Dan W]

CCRKBA URGES MEMBERS TO CALL CONGRESS ABOUT ATTACK ON TIAHRT AMENDMENT


BELLEVUE, WA – The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is encouraging gun owners and activists to contact Congress and urge their representatives to oppose appropriations amendments introduced by two California congressmen that would strip protections from federal gun trace data and require additional ponderous  record keeping by gun manufacturers.

California Rep. Adam Schiff is pushing an amendment that would remove the Tiahrt Amendment safeguards against political misuse of sensitive firearms trace data. Congressman Michael Honda, another California Democrat, has another amendment to continue regulatory attacks on the gun industry.

Gun trace data is currently available to law enforcement agencies in connection with legitimate criminal investigations. It is not available to big city mayors for the purpose of launching frivolous harassment lawsuits and private “sting” operations as was done by anti-gun New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Honda’s proposal would require firearm manufacturers to set up a burdensome record keeping system to match individual firearm serial numbers in inventory to the individual record entry in their acquisition and distribution record, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

The amendments are being offered in the House Appropriations Committee. Gun owners may contact the committee at (202) 225-2771.

[bkoenig]

Last I heard the amendment was defeated.

[RLMoeller]

Received this from the NSSF last night. . .

Amendments Attacking Gun Trace Data Defeated!

Earlier today we sent out an action alert urging all members of industry, sportsmen, gun-owners and firearms enthusiasts to call the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee to urge the committee to vote no on the Schiff (D-CA-29) amendment which would have stripped from an appropriations bill an important law enforcement protection, known as the Tiahrt Amendment, that safeguards law enforcement-only firearms tracing data and the Honda (D-CA-15) amendment, supported by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, which would have continued the recently launched regulatory assault on the firearms industry.
Your efforts were a tremendous success! We can declare victory in the Appropriations Committee since they heard you loud and clear – these and other anti-gun amendments that undermine the law enforcement protections provided for in the Tiahrt Amendment or any anti-gun amendments that would place additional and costly regulatory burdens on members of the firearms industry were defeated. Just as important, several pro-industry amendments passed, including one to block ATF's new over-reaching multiple sales reporting requirement for certain rifles and another to allow the importation of shotguns ATF is attempting to ban under the so-called "sporting purpose" test.
Again, great job!