WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced legislation to update federal laws governing licensed firearm dealers, cracking down on rogue firearm dealers who engage in unlawful practices that lead to gun trafficking and violence.  The Federal Firearm Licensee Act would establish new requirements for licensed firearm dealers to secure their business premises and conduct physical checks of their business inventories. It would also expand the recordkeeping and reporting requirements for firearm dealers and mandate inspections of high-risk dealers.

“We have the ability to end the tragic cycle of violence, but it will require us to come together in full urgency and honesty. This legislation is one of the necessary steps to interrupt the cycle of violence and save American lives,” said Cardin.

“Our existing laws allow far too many guns to be sold to individuals who pose a danger to our communities.  I’m introducing the Federal Firearm Licensee Act to ensure that licensed firearm dealers are required to take steps to prevent the guns in their inventory from being stolen and trafficked to individuals who seek to commit violent crimes,” said Durbin.  “This legislation to reduce gun trafficking is one of many steps we must take to address the gun violence epidemic in Illinois and across the United States.” 

The Federal Firearm License Act would modernize regulations for existing Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) by:

• Requiring physical security measures to prevent firearm theft;

• Clarifying the standards by which licensed dealers, and their employees, are assessed for purposes of license issuance and renewal;

• Repealing long-standing appropriations riders that have impeded enforcement of existing law by barring the ATF from using funds to require licensed dealers to conduct physical firearm inventories, barring use of funds for consolidating or centralizing FFL firearm sale or disposition records, and prohibiting the public disclosure of firearms trace data; and

• Increasing record retention and electronic data management and sharing for background checks.

The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Ben Cardin (D-MD), and it is endorsed by Everytown, Giffords, March for Our Lives, and Brady United.  U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) introduced the House companion, which currently has 107 cosponsors.