Congressman Dan Goldman Works to Crack Down on Illegal Gun Sales, Increase Identification of Stolen Weapons
The ‘Trafficking Reduction and Criminal Enforcement’ Act Would Implement Reporting Requirements on Lost and Stolen Guns, Increase Gun Trace Data Transparency
Bill Would Also Mandate Second Hidden Serial Number on All New Guns Sold Making It Harder for Criminals to Remove Serial Numbers
Read the Bill Here
Washington, DC – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) joined Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05) in introducing the ‘Trafficking Reduction and Criminal Enforcement’ (TRACE) Act to help the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) reduce illegal firearms trafficking by increasing transparency on gun trace data, require longer maintenance of background check records, mandate gun dealers report lost or stolen firearms, and mandate a second serial number that is harder for criminals to remove.
The TRACE Act would also repeal the extreme appropriations riders collectively known as the Tiahrt Amendments.
The Tiahrt Amendments are annual amendments attached to federal FBI funding that restrict information investigators can obtain on where a gun was purchased and to whom it was sold. The amendments require the FBI to destroy records of approved background checks within 24 hours and prevent local governments and police from accessing federal gun trace data from areas beyond their immediate geographic area.
The Amendments also prohibit cities from using gun trace data in civil enforcement actions, such as gun dealer license revocations, and prevent the ATF from requiring firearms dealers to keep and regularly submit firearm inventories to identify if guns were lost or stolen.
“I can think of no logical or reasonable explanation for protecting people who steal guns, yet Republicans are still unwilling to give law enforcement the tools they need to catch gun thieves who frequently use stolen guns to commit violent crimes,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “In the United States, a gun is stolen every 90 seconds. Current regulatory red-tape is preventing law enforcement from identifying and tracking nearly 400,000 guns every year. Republicans must stop putting the interests of the gun lobby above the lives of our children and the safety of our communities. Our law enforcement officials are fighting the gun violence epidemic with one hand tied behind their back by Congress. It’s time to repeal the Tiahrt Amendments and give them the tools they need.”
The TRACE Act would:
Require background check records be maintained for a minimum of 180 days.
The Tiahrt Amendments currently require 24-hour record destruction, making it nearly impossible to catch law-breaking gun dealers who falsify their records or track straw purchasers who buy guns on behalf of criminals.
Require gun dealers to perform inventory checks to report lost and stolen guns, a measure currently prohibited under the Tiahrt Amendments.
If law-abiding dealers reported inventories, the ATF would be much more effective at identifying lost and stolen weapons and combatting corrupt gun dealers.
Repeal restrictions on gun trace data disclosures. Currently, members of the public, including researchers and litigants, cannot get trace data from ATF under Tiahrt restrictions.
Trace data is also inadmissible as evidence in civil proceedings under existing policy. The TRACE Act would repeal these restrictions.
Require that new firearms have a second, hidden serial number located inside the frame or receiver that is only visible under infrared light when the firearm is fully disassembled. This would make it harder for criminals to remove serial numbers from firearms in an attempt to thwart law enforcement.
Congressman Dan Goldman is fighting to hold gun dealers and manufacturers accountable for their role in perpetuating the gun violence epidemic.
In 2023, the Congressman cosponsored the ‘Responsible Firearms Marketing Act,’ which would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study the dangers of unfair and deceptive marketing and advertising practices utilized by the gun industry and the ‘Equal Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act,’ which would ensure that negligent gun manufacturers are held liable for their role in gun violence epidemic.
Earlier this month, Goldman signed on to the ‘Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act,’ which would place safeguards and limitations on the sale of ammunition over the internet, the ‘Default Proceed Sale Transparency Act’ to address the 'Charleston Loophole,’ which allows some gun sales to be completed without a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background check, and the ‘Federal Firearm Licensee Act’ to modernize and strengthen the federal requirements for anyone who facilitates gun sales, including gun shops, gun shows, and websites.
Congressman Goldman is a Vice Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and is Chair of the Dads Caucus Gun Violence Prevention Working Group.
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