Congressman Goldman Pushes for Greater Accountability for Gun Sellers to Curb Firearm Trafficking

The ‘Firearms Retailer Code of Conduct’ Would Require Gun Dealers to Take Action to Prevent Key Sources of Gun Trafficking

Bill Ensures Firearm Retailers Can Identify and Avoid Fraudulent Gun Transactions, Require Secure Storage of Firearms to Prevent Theft

Read the Bill Here

Washington, DC – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) joined Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06) in introducing the ‘Firearms Retailer Code of Conduct Act’ to hold gun sellers responsible for preventing key sources of weapons for illegal firearms trafficking. This bill would enact requirements to prevent the diversion of firearms into the illegal market and help promote safer business practices to keep illicit weapons out of our communities.

Gun traffickers and their suppliers often obtain firearms through straw purchases or theft, and gun dealers that implement safe business practices play a vital role in preventing these crimes. The ‘Firearms Retailer Code of Conduct Act’ would clearly define the role of gun dealers and their employees and assist them in identifying fraudulent or potentially unlawful firearms purchases and ensure that inventory is safely secured.

“Gun traffickers profit off of the lax oversight and negligence of gun dealers, allowing for straw purchases and theft of unsecured firearms to fuel the gun violence epidemic,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “These firearm dealers are at the center of this problem, facilitating gun trafficking as the middle man between traffickers and purchasers. They have a unique responsibility to ensure that they are not enabling fraudulent purchases or the sale of stolen firearms. Implementing these commonsense measures will cut off gun traffickers’ supply at the source, preventing them from flooding our communities with these weapons of war.”

The Firearms Retailer Code of Conduct Act establishes business practices and certification requirements for gun dealers and their employees that are intended to curb the diversion of firearms into the illegal market. Among other things, the bill:

• Requires gun dealers and their employees to undergo training every two years to identify fraudulent or potentially unlawful firearms purchases;
• Instructs gun dealers and their employees to refuse the sale of firearms to straw purchasers, gun traffickers, intoxicated persons, or those at risk of harming themselves or others;
• Mandates the posting of notices indicating the signs of fraudulent or potentially unlawful firearms purchases and requires the display of contact information to report suspected illegal transactions
• Requires gun dealers to secure their firearms after close of business to prevent theft; and
• Requires that federally licensed firearms dealers maintain business and liability insurance.

By making these provisions law, this bill provides the necessary incentives to gun dealers to reduce gun trafficking. Many of these dealers often operate outside of the communities most impacted by everyday gun violence, frequently in less diverse and more affluent suburbs.

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 victims of gun violence have their day in court, that negligent gun manufacturers are held liable when they disregard public safety, and that gun trace data can be accepted as evidence in court.

In January, Goldman cosponsored 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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