Brady Campaign Praises Representative Kirk For Bill That Would Close Background Check Loophole

Aug 19, 2008

Washington, D.C. – Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, praised a bill introduced by Representative Mark Kirk (R-IL) that closes the gun “fire sale” loophole.  This loophole allows gun dealers to sell off their inventory without background checks after having their federal firearms licenses revoked.  H.R. 6664 would limit gun dealers from transferring firearms after their licenses are revoked or a renewal is denied.

“It makes no sense to allow gun dealers whose licenses have been revoked to still sell guns. These are dealers who have disregarded federal law and cannot be trusted to keep guns out of the wrong hands,” Helmke said.  “Closing this loophole will strengthen the Brady background check system and make it harder for criminals and other dangerous people to obtain guns.  I want to thank Representative Kirk for introducing this sensible legislation, and I urge Congress to move forward with it immediately. ”  

Currently, if a gun dealer’s federal firearms license is revoked for violating federal law, the dealer is allowed to transfer any guns remaining in the store’s inventory to the dealer’s personal “private” collection.  The dealer is then considered a “private seller” and can transfer firearms without performing Brady background checks, thus allowing convicted felons, domestic violence abusers, and those who are dangerously mentally ill to easily obtain guns. 

An example of how this loophole has been exploited is given by the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence report Death Valley—Profile of A Rogue Gun Dealer: Valley Gun, Baltimore, Maryland.  This report describes how Sandy Abrams, at the time an NRA Board Member, continued to sell guns from his store for two years after his federal firearms license was revoked.  The ATF cited the store for over nine hundred violations of federal law.  To read the full report: http://www.bradycenter.org/xshare/pdf/reports/death-valley.pdf.

###

As the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence, the Brady Campaign, with its dedicated network of Million Mom March Chapters, works to enact and enforce sensible gun laws, regulations and public policies. The Brady Campaign is devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities

Dan Gross is the President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. A photo and more information about Dan Gross is available here.
For continuing insight and comments on the gun issue, read The Brady Blog

Brady News Releases are available via RSS