Van Hollen, Beyer, Raskin Introduce Legislation to Improve ATF, Crack Down on “Bad Apple” Gun Dealers

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) reintroduced the ATF Improvement and Modernization (AIM) Act, legislation to strengthen the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) ability to combat gun crime in our communities. The lawmakers’ effort comes as the Trump Administration seeks to undermine the ATF, including by working to eliminate it as a standalone agency – merging it with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – and proposing a nearly 30 percent decrease in its budget. In the face of these actions, the lawmakers’ legislation would reassert the ATF’s authority to keep our communities safe, including by removing irresponsible statutory restrictions that stand in the way of the ATF’s mission to protect the public from violent offenders, criminal organizations, and the illegal use and trafficking of firearms.

“Too many American lives have been torn apart by gun violence in our country – yet gun industry hardliners have conspired to put up roadblocks that hamper law enforcement efforts to combat this deadly scourge. Our legislation eliminates these barriers and strengthens the ATF’s ability to crack down on gun crime and illegal firearm trafficking that allows deadly weapons to fall into dangerous hands. This is a common-sense way to tackle the gun violence epidemic and save lives,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“The gun violence epidemic continues to take a huge toll on our country, killing nearly 50,000 Americans every year,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “We cannot accept Trump’s efforts to stop law enforcement from addressing gun violence, which includes mass transfers of agents away from the ATF. Congress owes it to American families to take decisive action to ensure the ATF has the tools it needs to make American communities safer, and our AIM Act would do just that by removing barriers that hamper the ATF’s mission. I appreciate Senator Van Hollen, Ranking Member Raskin, and the gun violence prevention leaders who worked with us to craft this important bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.”

“The AIM Act will revitalize the ATF’s ability to crack down on gun traffickers and ‘bad apple’ gun dealers and overhaul outdated regulations that hinder the Bureau’s ability to protect our communities,” said House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin. “I’m proud to join this important effort to combat gun trafficking and violent crime.”

The AIM Act removes irresponsible statutory restrictions that impede ATF’s mission to protect the public from violent criminals, criminal organizations, and the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, as well as its ability to support law enforcement and other public safety partners in communities nationwide. The bill modernizes ATF processes to help law enforcement officials in tracing firearms involved in crimes. Permitting ATF to consolidate and centralize the records it receives from firearms dealers will improve its current non-searchable system, which unnecessarily stalls criminal investigations. With a centralized, searchable digital database, law enforcement will be better able to detect patterns that indicate gun trafficking. The AIM Act also allows the FBI to maintain background check information longer than the current 24-hour limit. This change helps to deter fraud and facilitate firearms retrieval actions if the agency learns, after the fact, that a gun sale was improper.

This legislation also enhances ATF’s capability to crack down on “bad apple” gun dealers. Permitting stricter compliance requirements and reforming the rules governing federal license revocation will ensure that firearms dealers comply with laws and regulations that protect the public from dangerous weapons. Lastly, the AIM Act will make ATF more responsive to the public, including journalists, researchers, and potential litigants, whose access to ATF gun trace data is currently restricted.

The text of the AIM Act is available here.

The AIM Act is supported by March For Our Lives, Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence, GIFFORDS, Brady: United Against Gun Violence, Newtown Action Alliance, Everytown for Gun Safety, and Enough of Gun Violence.

“The gun industry has enjoyed decades of special protections at the expense of public safety – and young people are paying the price. The ATF Improvement and Modernization Act is a critical step toward accountability. By giving the ATF the tools it needs to trace crime guns, hold reckless dealers accountable, and modernize outdated systems, this bill helps protect communities from the daily toll of gun violence. We’re proud to support this legislation and grateful to Senator Van Hollen and Representative Beyer for continuing to lead with urgency and moral clarity,” said Jaclyn Corin, Executive Director, March For Our Lives.

“For far too long, the agency charged with overseeing gun laws in this country has been underfunded and hamstrung by antiquated systems. This was by design, preventing the ATF from adequately overseeing critical components of the gun industry. We applaud Senator Van Hollen and Representative Beyer for reintroducing The ATF Improvement and Modernization Act (AIM) Act this session. This much needed Act will help bring the ATF into the 21st century,” said Karen Herren, Executive Director, Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence.

“For too long, ATF has been forced to operate with one hand tied behind its back, unable to fully enforce our country's gun laws and hold bad actors accountable. The AIM Act would change that, reversing outdated restrictions and ensuring ATF has the authority and resources it needs to crack down on illegal gun trafficking, shut down rogue gun dealers, and modernize systems that hinder efforts to trace crime guns. We commend Senator Van Hollen and Representative Beyer for their leadership in strengthening this critical agency and improving public safety,” said Vanessa Gonzalez, Vice President of Government & Political Affairs at GIFFORDS.

“One of the major causes of American gun violence is the unique and unprecedented protections from oversight that the gun industry has been provided,” said Brady President Kris Brown. “The ATF Improvement and Modernization Act will allow ATF to more effectively and efficiently oversee the corporate firearms industry and hold accountable those actors who are engaging in negligent, irresponsible, or illegal business practices which fuel the criminal gun market. Brady is proud to endorse this legislation and applauds Sen. Van Hollen and Rep. Beyer for their leadership on this issue.”

“As a neighbor of the Sandy Hook shooter and someone who has spent more than a decade working with families devastated by gun violence, I know the deadly cost of tying law enforcement’s hands. For too long, reckless restrictions have stopped the ATF from protecting the public from gun traffickers and bad-apple dealers. Senator Van Hollen’s AIM Act removes those barriers—modernizing gun tracing, strengthening background checks, and restoring transparency—so law enforcement can save lives and protect our children and families,” said Po Murray, Chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance.

“Gun Violence is a Public Health Emergency and the #1 leading cause of death for children in our communities across the United States. We can no longer allow the gun lobby to hold the lives of American people in their hands. We are endorsing the ATF Improvement and Modernization Act being re-introduced by Senator Chris Van Hollen and Representative Beyer because we deserve to live free from Gun Violence. Accountability to the gun industries is key,” said Celeste Iroha, Founder and President of Enough of Gun Violence.