GUN SAFETY

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 81 people a day die in the United States from gun-related suicides, homicides and unintentional injuries. To help combat these tragedies, Senator Levin supports the enactment of commonsense gun safety legislation and aggressive enforcement of laws that are already on the books. Congress can and should pursue legislative solutions to prevent gun violence without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens.

Senator Levin was an original cosponsor of the Brady Law (P.L.103-159), which requires prospective handgun purchasers to undergo criminal background checks before purchasing firearms, and he supports legislation that would strengthen the Brady Law by eliminating what is known as the gun show loophole.

Under current law, when an individual buys a handgun from a licensed dealer, there are federal requirements for a background check to insure that the purchaser is not prohibited by law from purchasing or possessing a firearm. However, this is not the case for all gun purchases. For example, when an individual wants to buy a handgun from another private citizen who is not a licensed gun dealer, there is no requirement that the seller ensure the purchaser is not in a prohibited category. This creates a loophole in the law, making it easy for criminals, terrorists and other prohibited buyers to evade background checks and buy guns from private citizens. This loophole also creates a gateway to the illegal market because criminals know they will not be subject to a background check when purchasing from another private citizen even at a gun show.

Senator Levin supports legislation to reinstate and strengthen the 1994 assault weapons ban. Unfortunately, despite the ongoing threat of terrorism, the pleas of Americans who have already lost loved ones to assault weapons tragedies, the overwhelming support of the law enforcement community, and bipartisan support in the Senate, the 1994 assault weapons ban was allowed to expire on September 13, 2004, when the President and the Republican Congressional leadership failed to act. The expiration of the ban allows 19 previously banned assault weapons to be legally sold again. Also, formerly banned firearms that can accept detachable magazines and have more than one of several specific military features, such as a folding/telescoping stock, protruding pistol grip, bayonet mount, threaded muzzle or flash suppressor, barrel shroud or grenade launcher can now be legally sold again. Common sense tells us that there is no reason for civilians to have easy access to assault weapons and Senator Levin believes that Congress should act this year to reinstate the ban.

Senator Levin also supports commonsense legislation to regulate the sale of .50 caliber sniper rifles. The .50 caliber sniper rifle is a favorite weapon of militaries around the world and is also among the most powerful weapons legally available to private individuals in the United States. According to a 2004 report released by the Violence Policy Center , a .50 caliber sniper rifle is capable of accurately hitting a target over 1,500-yards away, and the ammunition available for the rifle includes armor-piercing, incendiary and explosive bullets. Currently, these powerful weapons are subject to only minimal federal regulation and are treated the same as other long rifles including shotguns, hunting rifles, and smaller target rifles. Senator Levin believes .50 caliber sniper rifles should be subject to adequate reasonable registration requirements to help ensure that they do not fall into the hands of potential terrorists or violent criminals.