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HR 5092
Bill to revise gun-show laws advances in House
BY PETER HARDIN
TIMES-DISPATCH WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
Sep 8, 2006
WASHINGTON -- A bill to revamp federal enforcement rules for gun dealers, born in part from complaints about heavy-handed tactics at Richmond gun shows, is headed to the House floor.
The House Judiciary Committee approved the bipartisan bill by voice vote yesterday, and a spokesman for the House majority leader said it could come up for a House vote as early as next week.
Backers said it would strengthen enforcement by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives while critics contended it would gut the agency's powers.
A pair of lawmakers who are diametrically opposed on some issues joined forces on the bill: liberal Virginia Democrat Robert C. Scott, D-3rd, teamed with conservative North Carolina Republican Howard Coble to craft the bill and push it through.
With his action, Scott ended up on the same side as the National Rifle Association gun-rights lobby, while the gun-control group Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence blasted the legislation.
The bill would give ATF more tools to punish federally licensed gun dealers who break U.S. firearm sale rules. It would offer an intermediate set of new penalties -- including civil penalties or a license suspension -- that fall short of revoking a dealer's license.
Current law offers just written warnings and revocation of licenses to punish rogue dealers.
The bill also directs the inspector general for the Justice Department to review the ATF's gun show enforcement program.
Coble is chairman of the House subcommittee on crime, terrorism, and homeland security. Scott is the panel's senior Democrat.
Coble said the bill came about as a result of a subcommittee hearing where complaints were lodged against ATF for questionable law-enforcement practices at gun shows in the Richmond area.
"This gives ATF some flexibility, and as we heard during the hearing, the ATF used some heavy-handed tactics and they need to be reigned in," Coble said.
Scott, a Newport News resident whose district includes part of Richmond, said the bill was necessary to establish guidelines.
"This simplifies enforcement," Scott said in a recent interview. He added that "98 percent of the time you are not going to revoke a license for a technical offense" but the bill would let a firearms dealer be fined.
"I believe it will better ensure fairness, as well as accountability and ultimately will better ensure public safety," he said yesterday.
But critics asserted the bill would undermine or eviscerate ATF enforcement.
A top ATF official told Congress in February that federal agents made mistakes while searching for illegal firearm sales at the Richmond gun shows. Yet aggressive efforts there "have reduced violent crime," the official also said.
The bill had 137 co-sponsors yesterday, according to Coble. It is part of the American Values Agenda promoted by GOP leaders to reach out to their political base and win action on issues seen as important to conservatives.
From the Brady Bunch:
Bill to revise gun-show laws advances in House
BY PETER HARDIN
TIMES-DISPATCH WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
Sep 8, 2006
WASHINGTON -- A bill to revamp federal enforcement rules for gun dealers, born in part from complaints about heavy-handed tactics at Richmond gun shows, is headed to the House floor.
The House Judiciary Committee approved the bipartisan bill by voice vote yesterday, and a spokesman for the House majority leader said it could come up for a House vote as early as next week.
Backers said it would strengthen enforcement by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives while critics contended it would gut the agency's powers.
A pair of lawmakers who are diametrically opposed on some issues joined forces on the bill: liberal Virginia Democrat Robert C. Scott, D-3rd, teamed with conservative North Carolina Republican Howard Coble to craft the bill and push it through.
With his action, Scott ended up on the same side as the National Rifle Association gun-rights lobby, while the gun-control group Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence blasted the legislation.
The bill would give ATF more tools to punish federally licensed gun dealers who break U.S. firearm sale rules. It would offer an intermediate set of new penalties -- including civil penalties or a license suspension -- that fall short of revoking a dealer's license.
Current law offers just written warnings and revocation of licenses to punish rogue dealers.
The bill also directs the inspector general for the Justice Department to review the ATF's gun show enforcement program.
Coble is chairman of the House subcommittee on crime, terrorism, and homeland security. Scott is the panel's senior Democrat.
Coble said the bill came about as a result of a subcommittee hearing where complaints were lodged against ATF for questionable law-enforcement practices at gun shows in the Richmond area.
"This gives ATF some flexibility, and as we heard during the hearing, the ATF used some heavy-handed tactics and they need to be reigned in," Coble said.
Scott, a Newport News resident whose district includes part of Richmond, said the bill was necessary to establish guidelines.
"This simplifies enforcement," Scott said in a recent interview. He added that "98 percent of the time you are not going to revoke a license for a technical offense" but the bill would let a firearms dealer be fined.
"I believe it will better ensure fairness, as well as accountability and ultimately will better ensure public safety," he said yesterday.
But critics asserted the bill would undermine or eviscerate ATF enforcement.
A top ATF official told Congress in February that federal agents made mistakes while searching for illegal firearm sales at the Richmond gun shows. Yet aggressive efforts there "have reduced violent crime," the official also said.
The bill had 137 co-sponsors yesterday, according to Coble. It is part of the American Values Agenda promoted by GOP leaders to reach out to their political base and win action on issues seen as important to conservatives.
From the Brady Bunch:
From NY Mayor Bloomberg:
