The Truth About The Firearms Industry

A Record of Safety and Concern

Did you know that the firearms industry:

Supports and called for the aggressive enforcement of our nation's gun laws as exemplified by the highly successful and effective Project Exile program implemented by Richmond, VA that reduced homicides by 65% in just one year and is now used in major cities throughout America.

Fully supports law enforcement's tracing of guns used in crime, which, when combined with traditional law enforcement investigative tools, can assist the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and local law enforcement in their efforts to investigate and prosecute ANYONE involved in illegal gun trafficking. (See letter to ATF, and their response)

In partnership with ATF developed and funds a "straw purchaser" prevention program called Don't Lie For the Other Guy (www.nafr.org/dontlie) that helps ATF educate and train federally licensed firearms retailers on how to detect and deter the illegal sale of a firearm to a "straw purchaser" who is buying the firearm for a prohibited person, a method ATF has recently identified as a significant means by which some criminals illegally obtain firearms.

• The program, which has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, also warns would-be "straw purchasers" of the severe criminal penalties for buying a gun for a prohibited person.
• Industry provides a Don't Lie For the Other Guy kit free to any dealer that wants one. Thousands of kits have been distributed to dealers throughout the United States.
• ATF inspectors now carry Don't Lie For the Other Guy kits with them when they visit dealers.
• Industry is currently working with ATF to enhance the Don't Lie For the Other Guy program to include Public Service Announcement to warn and deter would-be "straw purchasers" from breaking the law.

Long before the Brady Act of 1994, the industry called for and supported criminal background checks for purchasers of firearms, now called the National Instant Check System (NICS) run by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The industry supports NICS' background checks for sales at gun shows.

• Did you know that anytime a federally licensed dealer sells a firearm, even at a gun show, the law requires the dealer to perform a criminal background check on the purchaser and the dealer must transfer the firearm back at the store?

In partnership with ATF, the industry conducts day-long "Partnership For Progress" seminars for retail firearms dealers throughout the United States that cover many topics like inventory controls, store security and avoiding "straw purchases."

The industry called for and supported increased funding to ATF to assist it in carrying out its important law enforcement mission.

The industry supports the use of "ballistics imaging" technology as a law enforcement tool.

For decades ATF has attended the industry's annual trade show to be available to answer dealers' questions and to hold seminars to educate and train dealers on the myriad of laws that govern the lawful and heavily regulated sale of firearms.

Firearm Safety Education

For decades the industry has preached the gospel of safe and responsible firearm handling (www.nssf.org), and distributed millions of important firearm safety materials and pamphlets throughout the United States that include safety information with their products.

Developed Project HomeSafe® and Project ChildSafe™, the award-winning firearms safety education programs that were recently awarded a $50 million dollar federal grant to distribute 20 million free gunlocks and firearm safety educational materials nationwide this year.

Manufacturers provide a free firearm-locking device with every new firearm they ship from their factory.

The industry created and distributes a series of firearm safety videos:

• "McGruff The Crime Dog" – created in partnership with the National Crime Prevention Council, is intended for young children grades K-5.
• "It's Your Call, Playing it Safe Around Guns" - intended for middle school aged children grades 6-9.
• "Firearms Safety Depends On You" – designed especially for the new gun owner and covers a wide range of firearm safety topics.

Through the efforts of industry and other groups like 4-H, Boy Scouts of America, volunteer hunter education instructors, Future Farmers of America and National Rifle Association certified instructors, the National Safety Council reports that accidental firearms deaths have decreased by 58% in the past ten years and are at their lowest level since record keeping began in 1903.

Since 1926, the industry's technical trade association, the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute, an accredited standards developer, has developed more than 700 voluntary standards related to firearm and ammunition quality and safety.

Pass the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act

The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act seeks to protect firearms and ammunition manufacturers from being sued for the criminal misuse of their lawful products by third parties. This legislation seeks to prevent abuses to the American legal system.

Only passage of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (HR 1036 / S 659) will eliminate these frivolous lawsuits that threaten to destroy one of America's oldest, most important industries and eliminate the jobs of thousands of Americans. With 243 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and 51 co-sponsors in the Senate, the Act enjoys strong bi-partisan support.

On Thursday, April 3, 2003 the Act was passed out of the House Judiciary Committee and onto the whole House by an overwhelming majority of votes. This was the last legislative hurtle the Act had to clear before it could be voted on by the entire House of Representatives. The House is expected to vote on the Act in the near future. See Testimony of Lawrence G. Keane

According to a recent national poll conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 69% of Americans would be more favorable toward their Senator or Representative if they voted to reform the way class action lawsuits are handled in the United States. A recent poll conducted by the American Tort Reform Association found that 83.4% of Americans believe there are too many lawsuits in America.