Reps. Casten, Kelly, Gun Violence Prevention Advocates Hold Press Conference 4 Years After Parkland
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
February 14, 2022
Contact: Emilia.Rowland@mail.house.gov (330)212-2065
Reps. Casten, Kelly, Gun Violence Prevention Advocates Hold Press Conference 4 Years After Parkland
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Sean Casten and Rep. Robin Kelly along with representatives from Giffords, the Community Justice Action Fund, Chicago CRED, Brady United Against Gun Violence, and Everytown for Gun Safety hosted an online press conference to discuss the need to detect and prevent gun trafficking. This comes on the four-year anniversary of the horrific Parkland, FL school shooting and ahead of the three-year anniversary of the shooting at Henry Pratt company in Aurora, Illinois.
The Gun Trafficker Detection Act, the Prevent Gun Trafficking Act, and the Federal Firearms Licensee Act –legislation introduced by Reps. Casten and Kelly—are poised to prevent further trafficking of illegal guns and decrease the number of violent crimes involving guns in Chicagoland and across the US. With 2021 breaking records as one of the deadliest years of gun violence in decades, efforts by states like Illinois to prevent gun violence are often undermined by weak gun laws in neighboring states like Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
Rep. Casten said, "The people of Illinois have been loud and clear: We want to keep our children safe from gun violence. But our state laws are continually undermined by the pitiful gun safety laws of our neighboring states, enabling traffickers to bring deadly weapons across our borders and into the hands of those who should not have them. Each year, we see thousands of stolen or trafficked guns used in violent crime. The Gun Trafficker Detection Act will help law enforcement address this issue with the seriousness it demands and prevent needless deaths caused in our communities by trafficked weapons."
"Stopping gun trafficking is one of the most urgent priorities in preventing gun violence in the Chicagoland area," said Rep. Robin Kelly, Vice Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. "Communities in Illinois are suffering from violence at the hands of those trafficking in guns from our neighboring states, primarily Indiana and Wisconsin. We need federal action like the Federal Firearms Licensee Act, the Gun Trafficker Detection Actand the Prevent Gun Trafficking Act to keep trafficked guns off our streets and out of our communities. Passing these bills will save lives - full stop."
To download a video of the press conference, click here or on the image below.
Gun Trafficker Detection Act
U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (IL-06), Robin Kelly (IL-02), and Ted Deutch (FL-22) introduced the Gun Trafficker Detection Act which would require gun owners to report if their gun is lost or stolen within 48 hours. This is a commonsense gun solution bill to deal with the stolen guns that end up in possession of individuals prohibited from carrying firearms. This bill would prevent further trafficking of illegal guns by:
? Requiring gun owners to report their gun lost or stolen within 48 hours
? Helping law enforcement identify and prosecute gun traffickers who claim their gun was lost or stolen only once it turns up at a crime scene across state lines
? Making traffickers liable for any damage done by their guns
? Prohibiting repeat violators from purchasing a gun for 5 years
? Creating a web-based portal to report a firearm as missing or stolen
The text of the bill can be found here and a section-by-section overview of the bill, here.
Prevent Gun Trafficking Act
Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL), introduced the Prevent Gun Trafficking Act to combat illegal gun purchases and transfers.
The Prevent Gun Trafficking Act would:
- Specify the prohibition of straw purchasing of firearms, making straw purchasing a federal crime.
- Require the Attorney General to ensure that gun purchasing transactions clearly state the penalties for violating federal anti-trafficking law.
Full text of the bill is available here.
Federal Firearms Licensee Act
U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (D-IL), David Cicilline (D-RI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Jim Langevin (D-RI), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Joe Morelle (D-NY), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), and Kweisi Mfume introduced the Federal Firearms Licensee Act to update sections in the U.S. code directed at how federal firearms licensees (FFLs) secure guns and prevent theft, conduct inventories and record data for backgrounds checks.
This legislation expands the applicability of federal firearms laws to "facilitators" of firearm sales, such as sellers at gun shows and on online marketplaces, which, in several states, are currently permitted to host large commercial marketplaces that allow for the transfer firearms to purchasers without first initiating a background check to determine whether the buyers are prohibited under applicable state and/or federal law.
The bill also modernizes regulations for existing FFLs by:
- Requiring physical security measures to prevent firearm theft;
- Clarifying the standards by which licensed dealers, and their employees, are assessed for purposes of license issuance and renewal;
- Repealing long-standing Appropriations Riders that have impeded enforcement of existing law by barring the ATF from using funds to require licensed dealers to conduct physical firearm inventories and prohibiting the public disclosure of firearms trace data; and
- Increasing record retention and electronic data management and sharing for background checks.
The Federal Firearm Licensee Act is endorsed by Everytown for Gun Violence, Moms Demand Action, Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence, Brady: United Against Gun Violence, and Community Justice Action Fund.
Full text of the bill is available here.
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