Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2007

The Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2007 (H.R.96) is U.S. gun control legislation introduced on January 4, 2007 by Rep. Michael Castle (R-Del.). It would require background checks for all firearm sales at gun shows.

Bill summary


The measure would provide for the regulation of firearms transfers at firearms events at which 75 or more firearms are offered or exhibited for sale, exchange, or transfer if one or more of the firearms have been shipped or transported in, or otherwise affects, interstate or foreign commerce. Excluded would be exhibits of firearms by an individual, from that individual's personal collection, at that individual's private residence, if the individual is not required to be licensed. Also excluded are events conducted and attended by permanent or annual dues paying members of private, not-for-profit organizations whose primary purpose is owning and maintaining real property for hunting activities.

The bill would prohibit any person from operating a special firearms event without notifying the Attorney General. It would also set forth the responsibilities of special firearms events operators and of firearms licensees and transferors other than licensees at such events, including criminal background checks, special firearms event license applications and penalties for violation of this Act. If enacted, the law would authorize a state to apply to the Attorney General for certification of the 24-hour verification authority of that state with respect to criminal background checks. It would increase penalties for serious record keeping violations criminal background check violations by licencees.

Support
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which supports the measure, explained that although federally-licensed firearm dealers (FFLs) are required to conduct Brady criminal background checks when they sell guns at gun shows, flea markets and swap meets, as well as unlicensed individuals who set up next to FFLs, are not required to conduct background checks in most states. Terrorists, criminals and other people prohibited from buying or possessing guns seek out unlicensed sellers, because they can pay cash and walk away with deadly weapons. Additionally, because unlicensed sellers are not well-regulated and do not keep records, criminals exploit gun shows to sell firearms and law enforcement has difficulty tracing gun-show firearms that turn up at crime scenes.

Consideration
The measure was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary at introduction and onto its Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security on February 2, 2007.

Castle and the three initial co-sponsors, Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), gained an additional co-sponsor, Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) on April 16, 2007, the day of the Virginia Tech Massacre.

Related SourceWatch articles

 * gun control
 * U.S. gun control legislation

External resources

 * OpenCongress page on the bill