Angie Craig: “again, I don't question the sincerity or how the Senator from Virginia feels about this issue and the amendment he has…”

“again, I don't question the sincerity or how the Senator from Virginia feels about this issue and the amendment he has offered. But I think it is important to recognize how the current law works. It does not mean it is perfect, and it does not mean it is always effective. But the Bull's Eye arms dealership in the State of Washington, from which John Muhammad and Lee Malvo, the two snipers who terrorized Washington, Northern Virginia, and Maryland for a time, stole their firearm, had a record of repeated recordkeeping violations and, as a result of that, their license was pulled. The owner of that dealership no longer has his license. I don't know if the Bull's Eye is still in business, but if it is, it is under a new dealer. Why? Here is the reason why. If you are a licensed firearms manufacturer in the United States--and all are under the Federal firearms licensing--whether you are a manufacturer or a licensed dealer, you must report within 48 hours missing weapons. If they have been stolen or misinventoried, they have to be reported. They have to be reported to the ATF, and they have to be reported to local law enforcement officers in the area as a possible theft, meaning that those guns are out there in the market. So there already is a Federal law and a mechanism that is at work to attempt to accomplish this. If, by that reporting, negligence can be demonstrated, this bill does not protect in any sense of the word negligent entrustment. That is very clear.…”