Frank Lautenberg: Lautenberg Joins With Bloomberg, NJ Mayors, Cops To Call For Access To Gun Data To Help Fight Crime

Lawmakers and Law Enforcement Call for Repeal of Tiahrt Amendment

July 10, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today joined with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer, Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello and other mayors, law enforcement representatives, and members of Congress to urge that the Tiahrt Amendment be overturned. The Tiahrt Amendment severely restricts the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) from sharing data it collects on guns used in crimes with law enforcement.

“As violent crime continues to increase across the nation, our communities need every available tool to combat this violence,” said Sen. Lautenberg at a press conference today. “We should do all we can to help local officials fight crime, especially in New Jersey, where so many guns used in crimes come from out of state. The Tiahrt language has hindered law enforcement for far too long. I am proud to stand today with these mayors, law enforcement officials and members of Congress in our effort to make sure that the Tiahrt amendment no longer ties the hands of law enforcement.”

On Thursday, the full House Appropriations Committee will be marking up the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill, which currently includes the Tiahrt Amendment.

The Tiahrt Amendment, a version of which has been inserted into the Department of Justice appropriations bill each year since Fiscal Year 2003, places broad restrictions on what information the ATF can release to state and local law enforcement regarding guns used in crimes.

The Tiahrt Amendment also prevents cities from using trace data in state and local civil enforcement actions, including gun license revocations and prevents the ATF from publishing reports that use gun trace data to analyze nationwide gun trafficking patterns. In the years before the information was restricted, data from the ATF National Trace Center showed that the overwhelming majority of guns used to commit crimes in a number of urban areas originated out of state. In essence, criminals have subverted states with strong gun laws, like New Jersey and Massachusetts, by bringing in guns from states with lax laws.

More than 200 Mayors, 30 National, State, and Regional Law Enforcement Organizations, 200 Law Enforcement Executives and 25 Editorial Boards oppose the Tiahrt Amendment.

Source: Senator Frank R. Lautenberg