United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office General Government Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1996-09-11 monographic deposited born digital 80 p. GA 1.13:GGD-96-174 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-96-174 P0b002ee180383528 f:gg96174 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GGD-96-174 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GGD-96-174 GGD-96-174 Firearms Gun control law Law enforcement agencies Licenses Data bases Information resources management Appropriation limitations Statutory law BATF Out-of-Business Records System BATF Multiple Sales System BATF Firearms Tracking System BATF National Firearms Act Database BATF Project Lead Letter Report GGD

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed various aspects of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms' ((ATF) operations, focusing on ATF compliance in meeting specific legislative restrictions regarding federal firearms licensee data.<p/>GAO found that: (1) there are 14 national data systems and 4 subsystems that contain data on firearms transactions; (2) five of the systems and one of the subsystems contain data that identify retail purchasers of specific firearms; (3) these systems play a significant role in the firearms tracing process, contain data obtained from nonlaw enforcement sources, and involve large numbers of records on firearms transactions and purchasers; (4) the Out-of-Business Records System contains the serial number of the firearm and the federal firearms licensee number, but does not store firearms purchasers' names or other information; (5) the Multiple Sales System contains data on sales of two or more pistols or revolvers to an unlicensed person at one time or during any 5 consecutive business days; (6) ATF has adopted a requirement that allows the name and other identifying information of a multiple sales purchaser to be purged from the system after 2 years, but it has not fully implemented the requirement; (7) the Out-of-Business Records System and the Multiple Sales System comply with the data restrictions, since they predate the Firearms Owners' Protection Act; (8) the two systems also comply with the appropriation rider prohibition, which prohibits ATF from consolidating or centralizing licensee records; (9) the appropriation rider should be interpreted in the context of other statutory provisions governing ATF acquisition and information gathering operations; and (10) ATF has not systematically analyzed its data systems and information practices to give appropriate effect to the appropriation rider. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GGD-96-174/html/GAOREPORTS-GGD-96-174.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GGD-96-174/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GGD-96-174.pdf GAO/GGD-96-174 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-96-174 Letter Report GAO/GGD-96-174; Federal Firearms Licensee Data: ATF's Compliance with Statutory Restrictions; Firearms Gun control law Law enforcement agencies Licenses Data bases Information resources management Appropriation limitations Statutory law BATF Out-of-Business Records System BATF Multiple Sales System BATF Firearms Tracking System BATF National Firearms Act Database BATF Project Lead Title 18 Section 923(g) Title 18 Section 923(g)(1)(A) Title 18 Section 923(g)(3) Title 18 Section 923(g)(3)(A) Title 18 Section 923(g)(4) Title 18 Section 926 Title 18 Section 926(a) 18 U.S.C. 923(g) 18 U.S.C. 923(g)(1)(A) 18 U.S.C. 923(g)(3) 18 U.S.C. 923(g)(3)(A) 18 U.S.C. 923(g)(4) 18 U.S.C. 926 18 U.S.C. 926(a) Title 26 Chapter 53 26 U.S.C. Chapter 53 Volume 82 Page 1213 82 Stat. 1213 Volume 92 Page 1002 92 Stat. 1002 Volume 100 Page 449 100 Stat. 449 Volume 105 Page 836 105 Stat. 836 Volume 107 Page 1229 107 Stat. 1229 Volume 108 Page 2384 108 Stat. 2384 Volume 109 Page 471 109 Stat. 471 Public Law 90-618 Public Law 95-429 Public Law 99-308 Public Law 102-141 Public Law 103-123 Public Law 103-159 Public Law 103-329 Public Law 104-52