Maloney Joins with Gun Safety Advocates to Introduce Gun Safety Legislative Package
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT
Jennifer Bell, jenn.bell@mail.house.gov, 202-578-0927
Maloney Joins with Gun Safety Advocates to Introduce Gun Safety Legislative Package
Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) today joined with gun safety advocates to introduce a gun safety legislative package. This comes ahead of the three-year anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL and is part of Congresswoman Maloney’s pledge to honor all those lost to gun violence with action.
Congresswoman Maloney’s package includes five bills: The Gun Trafficking and Crime Prevention Act, The Gun Show Loophole Closing Act, The NICS Review Act, The Firearm Risk Prevention Act, and The Handgun Trigger Safety Act.
“As the third anniversary of the Parkland shooting approaches this Sunday, we are called to honor all victims of gun violence with action,” said Congresswoman Maloney. “There is no honor in failing to take action on gun safety. There is no honor in buckling to the will of the NRA and refusing to act to save lives. Thoughts and prayers are not enough – in fact, they are meaningless when not backed up by doing the work to effect real change. And so today, I am introducing a comprehensive gun safety package of five bills that would deliver on our promise to honor with action.”
"This week is three years since the Parkland murder where my beautiful daughter Jaime was murdered. In the three years since, as a country we have continued to fail. Nothing has changed. At the same time, gun sales have surged and Americans are at greater risk. We cannot continue to fail. The reality that the gun violence death rate continues to increase combined with the attack on our Democracy only reinforces how urgent it is for us to do something about gun violence and we must start NOW!!!," said Fred Guttenberg.
“Chairwoman Maloney has led the charge to prevent gun violence for her entire time in public office,” said Kris Brown, President, Brady. “What this package embodies is what we at Brady call a supply-side focused approach to preventing gun violence in impacted communities, stemming the flow of guns from the legal market to America’s streets. We are thankful for the Chairwoman, her steadfast leadership, and clear call to action that this Congress take steps to keep everyone safe from gun violence.”
"Gays Against Guns is so grateful to Rep. Maloney for reintroducing this lifesaving legislation. The Gun Trafficking Prevention Act in particular speaks to our concern as a New York based group fighting to keep our communities safe from weapons trafficked on the Iron Pipeline. It is vital that our Congress uses this moment of change and renewal to pass sensible gun control legislation for President Biden's signature,” said Jay W. Walker, Founding Member and Organizer, Gays Against Guns.
“Our organization was born in response to a horrendous shooting almost exactly three years ago, on February 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. In the last year alone, the COVID-19 pandemic has fully laid bare the need for urgent action on guns—rates of firearm death are rising among children and teens, and firearms are now a leading cause of death among youth and, particularly, young men of color. We cannot afford to sit on our hands any longer. This comprehensive package is a crucial step in the right direction and we thank Chairwoman Maloney and all of our partners for honoring the lives we've senselessly lost,” said Alexis Confer, Executive Director, March For Our Lives.
You can watch today’s event here.
BILL SUMMARIES
The Gun Trafficking and Crime Prevention Act:
Prohibits Firearms Trafficking: The bill prohibits the purchase or transfer of a firearm if the intent is to deliver it to someone else who is prohibited by Federal or State law from possessing one.
Strengthens Penalties for Straw Purchasers: The bill strengthens penalties for “straw purchasers” who intentionally provide false or misleading material information when they purchase firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees. The bill reclassifies such acts as felonies, instead of misdemeanors, as they currently are under law.
Enhances Penalties for Kingpins and Multiple Illegal Purchases: The bill provides enhanced penalties for organizers or managers of firearms trafficking networks and recommends that the Sentencing Commission increase penalties for multiple illegal gun purchases. The bill reclassifies such acts as felonies, instead of misdemeanors, as they currently are under law.
The Gun Show Loophole Closing Act:
Subjects gun sales and transfers at gun shows to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and require that transfers are reported to the Attorney General.
Requires gun show operators to register with the Attorney General and notify the AG of the details of upcoming shows, including the identity of all firearm vendors, as well as keep a record of all vendors’ identities.
Allows the ATF to hire investigators to inspect gun shows and examine records kept by gun show operators and vendors.
The NICS Review Act:
Replaces the current 24 hour maximum with a 90 day minimum retention period to allow the FBI and ATF at least 90 days to audit the background check system to make sure the process is working effectively.
Makes it more difficult for dangerous individuals to skirt the law and the safeguards already in place.
The Firearm Risk Protection Act:
Prohibits Firearms Trafficking: The bill requires all gun purchasers to hold qualified liability insurance and restricts retail gun sales without proof of coverage.
Strengthens protections for victims of gun violence: The bill protects victims by ensuring that liability insurance covers a victim's medical expenses due to gun violence.
Ensures responsible gun ownership: The bill enacts fines towards violators of the provision up to $10,000 for not insuring firearms.
The Handgun Trigger Safety Act:
Authorizes grants to develop and improve “personalized” handgun technology to increase efficacy and decrease costs.
Mandates that within five years of enactment all newly manufactured handguns must be personalized, ensuring that they can only be operated by authorized users.
Mandates that within ten years of enactment anyone selling a handgun must retrofit it with personalization technology before that sale can be completed.
Provides reimbursement to manufacturers for the costs of retrofitting handguns through the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund.
