Bill Summary
This bill, known as the "Crime Gun Tracing Modernization Act of 2020," aims to amend section 923 of title 18 of the United States Code by requiring the establishment and maintenance of electronic, searchable databases of the importation, production, shipment, receipt, sale, or other disposition of firearms. This means that the National Tracing Center of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will be responsible for creating and managing these databases, which will include records of all firearms submitted by licensed individuals. Licensees will also be required to provide electronic access to their records. The National Tracing Center will have remote access to these databases and can search them for information related to any federal, state, local, tribal, or foreign crime, as well as for foreign intelligence purposes. The databases will not be searchable by personally identifiable information and will include the entire contents of relevant records. This provision takes effect regardless of any other laws or restrictions placed on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives or the Department of Justice.
Possible Impacts
1. The establishment of an electronic, searchable database of firearms could affect people by increasing the availability and accessibility of information related to firearms. This could potentially lead to greater transparency and accountability in the importation, production, and sale of firearms.
2. The requirement for licensees to provide electronic access to their records could affect people by potentially infringing on their privacy and security. This could also increase the administrative burden and costs for licensees to comply with the legislation.
3. The limitation on personally identifiable information being searchable in the database could affect people by potentially hindering law enforcement investigations and intelligence gathering efforts. This could also raise concerns about the protection of personal information and the potential for misuse or abuse of such data.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6006 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6006
To amend section 923 of title 18, United States Code, to require an
electronic, searchable database of the importation, production,
shipment, receipt, sale, or other disposition of firearms.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 27, 2020
Mr. Pascrell (for himself and Mr. King of New York) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend section 923 of title 18, United States Code, to require an
electronic, searchable database of the importation, production,
shipment, receipt, sale, or other disposition of firearms.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Crime Gun Tracing Modernization Act
of 2020''.
SEC. 2. ELECTRONIC, SEARCHABLE DATABASES.
Section 923(g) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(8)(A) In this paragraph, the term `foreign intelligence
information' has the meaning given the term in section 101 of
the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C.
1801).
``(B) Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of
this paragraph, the National Tracing Center of the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives shall establish and
maintain electronic, searchable databases of all records within
its possession of the importation, production, shipment,
receipt, sale, or other disposition of firearms required to be
submitted to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives by persons licensed under this chapter.
``(C) Each licensee under this chapter may provide the
National Tracing Center with electronic access, consistent with
the requirements of this paragraph, to all records within the
licensee's possession that are required to be kept under this
chapter.
``(D) A licensee may voluntarily relinquish possession of
any non-electronic record required to be kept under this
chapter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives.
``(E) The National Tracing Center--
``(i) shall have remote access to and may query,
search, or otherwise access the electronic databases
described in this paragraph; and
``(ii) may, with the permission of a State, or
political subdivision of a State, have remote access
to, and may query, search, or otherwise access the
databases of the firearms registration system or
pawnbroker records system of the State or political
subdivision.
``(F) The National Tracing Center may query, search, or
otherwise access the electronic databases described in this
paragraph for only the following purposes:
``(i) To obtain information related to any Federal,
State, local, tribal, or foreign crime.
``(ii) To obtain information that is--
``(I) foreign intelligence information; or
``(II) necessary to understand, or assess
the importance of, foreign intelligence
information.
``(G) The databases established under this paragraph--
``(i) shall be electronically searchable by date of
disposition, license number, and the information
identified on each firearm or other firearm descriptor,
including the manufacturer, importer, model, serial
number, type, and caliber or gauge;
``(ii) shall not be electronically searchable by
the personally identifiable information of any
individual; and
``(iii) shall include in search results the entire
contents of the relevant records kept by the licensee.
``(H) This paragraph shall take effect notwithstanding any
other provision of law, including any temporary or permanent
restrictions placed on funds made available to the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or the Department of
Justice.''.
<all>