Prevent Gun Violence with Data - Congresswoman Lee Introduces Legislation to Repeal Tiahrt Restrictions That Endanger Public Safety
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Lee has introduced The Tiahrt Restrictions Repeal Act (H.R. 1449) to enhance efforts to prevent gun violence by providing law enforcement with greater access to vital information.
“Gun violence is a public health epidemic. No one would stop the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention from tracking data on heart disease or an infectious disease like measles,” said Congresswoman Lee. “Law enforcement needs access to vital information to ensure public safety and shut down bad actors that are putting guns in the hands of criminals.”
The legislation would repeal certain Tiahrt provisions that currently impede public safety by:
- Requiring the National Criminal Background Check System (NICS) records be destroyed within 24 hours,
- Prohibiting the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from requiring licensed dealers from conducting annual inventory checks to detect lost or stolen firearms, and
- Restricting state and local law enforcement from using trace data to fully investigate corrupt dealers and traffickers.
It is estimated by the ATF that approximately 60 percent of guns used in crimes can be traced back to just one percent of dealers.
“It’s past time that we provide federal, state and local authorities the tools and data that they need to shut down bad actors and keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” added Congresswoman Lee.
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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and co-chair of the Progressive Caucus. She serves as chair of the Whip’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity.