Mike Levin: “in each of the last 4 years, amendments have been inserted in the Commerce, Justice, Science, CJS, Appropriations Act by…”

“in each of the last 4 years, amendments have been inserted in the Commerce, Justice, Science, CJS, Appropriations Act by the House of Representatives which severely handicap the efforts of those working to stop the flow of guns from reckless gun dealers into the hands of criminals. These amendments prohibit the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, ATF, from disclosing important information from the Firearms Trace System Database to local law enforcement and government officials unless it is connected to a ``bona fide criminal investigation or prosecution'' and prohibiting release for purposes of civil lawsuits. According to published reports, these amendments have directly impacted a lawsuit by the city of New York against several gun manufacturers and distributors who it alleges have adopted sales and marketing practices which facilitate the transfer of guns to criminals. The city received ATF firearms trace data from 1998 to 2003 but has been unable to attain data from subsequent years because of the prohibition inserted in the law on its release for the purposes of civil lawsuits. Legislation has recently been introduced in the House of Representatives which would make the restrictions on ATF firearms trace data permanent.…”