Press Room
 

February 6, 1999
rr-2938

PRESIDENT CLINTON ACCEPTS GUN SHOW RECOMMENDATIONS

President Clinton today accepted the recommendations from a joint Treasury-Justice study on gun shows that would require background checks for all sales of guns at these shows. The President said in his radio address today he would support legislation adopting the recommendations.

"America cannot allow its gun shows to become illegal arms bazaars, where lawbreakers shop side-by-side with the law-abiding," said President Clinton. "That is why I strongly support the recommendations of Secretary Rubin and Attorney General Reno. We must close the gun show loophole: no background check, no gun, no exceptions."

The report, "Gun Shows: Brady Checks and Crime Gun Traces," directed by the President in November and conducted by Treasury, Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, is a comprehensive review of firearms transfers at gun shows.

"The report is clear evidence for the need to require background checks and to enable crime gun tracing on all firearms sold at gun shows," said Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin. "This is another step by this Administration to crack down on the supply of illegal firearms to criminals, juveniles and gun traffickers."

The Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act, which requires federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs) to verify that prospective purchasers are not felons or other prohibited persons, has prevented more than 250,000 illegal sales since 1994. Under current law, firearms can be bought and sold by unlicensed sellers without background checks or any records maintained on those purchases at the more than 4,000 gun shows that take place annually. At many gun shows, unlicensed sellers make up one-quarter or more of all firearms sellers.

"We have a wonderful opportunity to close the gun show loophole by building on the success of the Brady Act," said Attorney General Janet Reno. "In our larger quest to confront the culture of violence in this country we should make sure that every gun purchase at a gun show is subject to a background check. If we do so, felons and other prohibited purchasers will think twice about trying to buy guns at gun shows."

ATF's review of 314 criminal investigations, involving more than 54,000 firearms, reveals a wide variety of violations occurring at gun shows. Additionally, it showed that substantial numbers of firearms associated with gun shows have been used in drug crimes, violent crimes and have been passed illegally to juveniles.

The variety of weapons available at gun shows ranges from new and used handguns to semiautomatic assault rifles to machine guns. In addition, vendors offer large capacity gun magazines and machine gun parts for sale.

The Gun Shows report stemmed from the President's concerns that violent criminals and illegal firearms traffickers could use gun shows to purchase weapons without background checks and that crime guns bought at gun shows could not be traced by law enforcement. During the 60-day review, Treasury and Justice officials analyzed existing federal and state laws and sought input from ATF field offices, U.S. Attorney's offices, law enforcement organizations, tradeassociations and a wide range of other groups. The input received from these sources reflected diverse views, ranging from a preference for the status quo to a prohibition on all sales of firearms at gun shows by anyone other than a federal firearms licensee.

The recommendations to the President add reasonable restrictions and conditions on firearms transfers at gun shows, ensure that there are adequate resources to enforce the law and educate sellers at gun shows of the legal consequences of illegal transfer of firearms. The report's recommendations would:

  • Define gun shows to include flea markets and other events where 50 or more firearms are sold by two or more individuals.

  • Require gun show promoters to register, notify ATF of all gun shows andmaintain a list of vendors at the show.

  • Require that all firearms transactions at gun shows be completed through an FFL. The FFL would conduct a Brady check on the purchaser and maintain a record of the transaction, allowing firearms recovered from crime scenes to be traced.

  • Provide additional resources for regulatory enforcement, investigation and prosecution to combat the illegal trade of firearms at gun shows.

  • Establish a program for gun owners, educating them on how to sell or otherwise dispose of their firearms without making them available to violent criminals, unauthorized juveniles or other prohibited persons.

  • Provide for a review of the statutory definition of what constitutes being "engaged in the business" of selling firearms.

The Gun Shows Report is available through: