Rep. Robin Kelly Announces Introduction of the Prevent Gun Trafficking Act

 Rep. Robin Kelly Announces Introduction of the Prevent Gun Trafficking Act

      Today, Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02), Vice Chair of the Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce, announced the introduction of H.R. 2280, the Prevent Gun Trafficking Act, to combat illegal gun purchases and transfers.
     “In Illinois we have very strict gun laws to protect our residents, but unfortunately the states around us do not,” said Congresswoman Kelly. Many guns used in the commission of crimes in Chicago and the surrounding areas come from out of state. Gun trafficking is a serious, pervasive problem, and we need laws in place to establish criminal penalties for those who illegally sell or transfer firearms. Preventing straw purchasing and gun trafficking is one major step we can take to save lives and curb the gun violence epidemic.”
     “Every year, thousands of guns are diverted from legal to illegal markets,” said Adzi Vokhiwa, Giffords Federal Affairs Director. “Gun trafficking is a serious offense that compounds the gun violence crisis in our country. Currently, guns move easily from states with weak gun laws into states with strong gun laws, undermining state-level gun safety laws and creating significant threats to public safety. A federal trafficking statute would help ebb the flow of firearms into communities and save lives. We thank Rep. Kelly for her leadership on this issue and for introducing this important legislation.”
     “Following a year of record-setting gun sales and gun violence, the need for laws like the Prevent Gun Trafficking Act is clearer than ever,” shared Brady President Kris Brown. “This legislation will reduce straw purchasing and gun trafficking, keeping guns off of our streets. By addressing the proliferation of illegal weapons into our communities, we can stop gun violence at the source and create a safer country for us all.”
     The Prevent Gun Trafficking Act would:
      • Specify the prohibition of straw purchasing of firearms, making straw purchasing a federal crime.
     • Require the Attorney General to ensure that gun purchasing transactions clearly state the penalties for violating federal anti-trafficking law.

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