[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6810]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     GUN TRAFFICKING: A NATIONAL ISSUE REQUIRING NATIONAL ATTENTION

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, last Tuesday, 15 mayors from a diverse 
group of cities around the country gathered in New York City for a 
mayors' summit on illegal guns. This summit provided an excellent 
opportunity to share gun violence prevention strategies, engage 
experts, and coordinate future national outreach and lobbying efforts 
for the safety of their cities. I commend those who participated for 
their willingness to work together to address the gun violence issues 
that plague communities across our country.
  One of the major issues discussed by the mayors last week was the 
buying and selling of guns by ``straw purchasers.'' Straw purchasers 
play a critical role in the illegal trafficking of guns by purchasing 
with the intention of reselling them to prohibited buyers. These straw 
purchases are often made in States with lax gun safety laws and 
trafficked to cities where they may later be used in violent crimes. 
New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly refers to this as the 
``iron pipeline'' of illegal firearms. According to published reports 
citing New York Police Department statistics, 8 of every 10 guns used 
in crimes in New York City come from other States. In fact, only 18 
percent of the illegal guns recovered in New York City in 2005 were 
originally sold in New York State, while 61 percent were traced to just 
five other States.
  According to several of the mayors in attendance, the lack of 
leadership by the President and Congress on the issue of illegal gun 
trafficking was the impetus for the summit. As New York Mayor Michael 
Bloomberg pointed out, ``There's very little that an individual city 
can do to halt the sale of guns to criminals. This is a national issue 
that requires national attention.'' In the absence of adequate Federal 
attention, the 15 attending mayors signed a statement of principles 
resolving, among other things, to work together in the prosecution of 
gun traffickers, irresponsible gun dealers, and violent criminals.
  In their statement of principles, the mayors vow to oppose all 
Federal efforts to restrict the ability of cities to access, use, and 
share firearms trace data that can be critical to law enforcement 
personnel working to stop the flow of guns from reckless gun dealers 
into the hands of criminals. This statement refers to amendments that 
have been inserted in the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Act 
each of the last 4 years that prohibit the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
Firearms and Explosives, ATF, from disclosing important information 
from the national Firearms Trace System Database to local law 
enforcement and government officials. Unfortunately, legislation has 
recently been introduced in the House of Representatives which would 
make these restrictions on ATF firearms trace data permanent.
  It is time that Congress work with, instead of against, our Nation's 
mayors to solve the gun violence issues which our communities face. The 
mayors are right. The gun violence epidemic across the country requires 
national attention, and I urge my colleagues to join me in working to 
enact commonsense gun safety laws that will help keep guns out of the 
hands of criminals.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of this statement of principles 
be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                     Mayors' Summit on Illegal Guns

       Whereas: 30,000 Americans across the country are killed 
     every year as a result of gun violence, destroying families 
     and communities in big cities and small towns; and
       Whereas: As Mayors, we are duty-bound to do everything in 
     our power to protect our residents, especially our children, 
     from harm and there is no greater threat to public safety 
     than the threat of illegal guns;
       Now, therefore, we resolve to work together to find 
     innovative new ways to advance the following principles:
       Punish to the maximum extent of the law--criminals who 
     possess, use, and traffic in illegal guns.
       Target and hold accountable irresponsible gun dealers who 
     break the law by knowingly selling guns to straw purchasers.
       Oppose all federal efforts to restrict cities' right to 
     access, use, and share trace data that is so essential to 
     effective enforcement, or to interfere with the ability of 
     the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to combat 
     illegal gun trafficking.
       Work to develop and use technologies that aid in the 
     detection and tracing of illegal guns.
       Support all local, state, and federal legislation that 
     targets illegal guns; coordinate legislative, enforcement, 
     and litigation strategies; and share information and best 
     practices.
       Invite other cities to join us in this new national effort.

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