Bills, S. 3458 and H.R. 6241, AKA “Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act"
Russian
August 10, 2012
On Monday, July 30, U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and U.S. Rep.
Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) introduced legislation that would impose
sweeping new--and not so new--restrictions on ammunition sales.
The bills, S. 3458 and H.R. 6241, are known as the “Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act.” The bill itself has four elements:
•A federal licensing requirement for ammunition sellers;
•Recordkeeping on all ammunition sales;
•Reporting of all sales of more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition to
anyone without a federal firearms license within five consecutive
business days; and
•A photo identification requirement for all non-licensees buying
ammunition, “effectively banning the online or mail order purchase of
ammo by regular civilians.”
The two lawmakers’ contempt for “regular civilians” is nothing new,
and neither are the first two of the requirements they propose. Starting
in 1968, ammunition dealers had to have licenses from the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and also had to keep records of
purchasers. The recordkeeping requirement on .22 caliber rimfire
ammunition was so burdensome that it was repealed in 1982. Congress did
away with the remaining licensing and recordkeeping provisions as part
of the "Firearms Owners’ Protection Act of 1986" after the BATF itself
said the restrictions had “no substantial law enforcement value.”
The proposed bill would turn back the clock to the days when
ammunition was only available in person at licensed stores, driving up
prices and making less popular cartridges nearly unobtainable for
millions of lawful gun owners. The effect of all of these proposals on
competitive shooters, who buy ammunition by the case lot for consistent
accuracy and shoot tens of thousands of rounds each year in practice,
would be especially devastating. And because the word “ammunition” is
defined in federal law to include components such as bullets and empty
cartridge cases, the bill would be disastrous for
handloaders--especially those who enjoy shooting rare, historic
cartridges.
In fact, Lautenberg and McCarthy would do well to heed the words of
the Obama administration’s top negotiator at the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty
conference, who pointed out to the nations of the world that “Ammunition
is … fungible, consumable, reloadable, and cannot be marked in any
practical way that would permit it to be tracked or traced. Any
practical proposal for ammunition would need to consider the significant
burdens associated with licensing, authorizations, and recordkeeping
for ammunition that is produced and transferred in the billions of
rounds per year.”
Please contact your U.S. Senators and your U.S. Representative and
urge them to oppose S. 3458 and H.R. 6241 respectively. You can find
contact information for your elected officials by using the "Write Your
Representatives" tool at www.NRAILA.org., or you can call your U.S.
Senators at (202) 224-3121 and your U.S. Representative at (202)
225-3121. Once you have taken this action, please be sure to forward
this information to your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners, and
strongly encourage them to contact their lawmakers as well.
Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) introduced legislation that would impose
sweeping new--and not so new--restrictions on ammunition sales.
The bills, S. 3458 and H.R. 6241, are known as the “Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act.” The bill itself has four elements:
•A federal licensing requirement for ammunition sellers;
•Recordkeeping on all ammunition sales;
•Reporting of all sales of more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition to
anyone without a federal firearms license within five consecutive
business days; and
•A photo identification requirement for all non-licensees buying
ammunition, “effectively banning the online or mail order purchase of
ammo by regular civilians.”
The two lawmakers’ contempt for “regular civilians” is nothing new,
and neither are the first two of the requirements they propose. Starting
in 1968, ammunition dealers had to have licenses from the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and also had to keep records of
purchasers. The recordkeeping requirement on .22 caliber rimfire
ammunition was so burdensome that it was repealed in 1982. Congress did
away with the remaining licensing and recordkeeping provisions as part
of the "Firearms Owners’ Protection Act of 1986" after the BATF itself
said the restrictions had “no substantial law enforcement value.”
The proposed bill would turn back the clock to the days when
ammunition was only available in person at licensed stores, driving up
prices and making less popular cartridges nearly unobtainable for
millions of lawful gun owners. The effect of all of these proposals on
competitive shooters, who buy ammunition by the case lot for consistent
accuracy and shoot tens of thousands of rounds each year in practice,
would be especially devastating. And because the word “ammunition” is
defined in federal law to include components such as bullets and empty
cartridge cases, the bill would be disastrous for
handloaders--especially those who enjoy shooting rare, historic
cartridges.
In fact, Lautenberg and McCarthy would do well to heed the words of
the Obama administration’s top negotiator at the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty
conference, who pointed out to the nations of the world that “Ammunition
is … fungible, consumable, reloadable, and cannot be marked in any
practical way that would permit it to be tracked or traced. Any
practical proposal for ammunition would need to consider the significant
burdens associated with licensing, authorizations, and recordkeeping
for ammunition that is produced and transferred in the billions of
rounds per year.”
Please contact your U.S. Senators and your U.S. Representative and
urge them to oppose S. 3458 and H.R. 6241 respectively. You can find
contact information for your elected officials by using the "Write Your
Representatives" tool at www.NRAILA.org., or you can call your U.S.
Senators at (202) 224-3121 and your U.S. Representative at (202)
225-3121. Once you have taken this action, please be sure to forward
this information to your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners, and
strongly encourage them to contact their lawmakers as well.
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