Senate Bill Would Grant FBI Unlimited Access To Gun Sales Records Registration leads to confiscation. We all know that, and that is why GOA has vehemently opposed all attempts by government forces to compile or retain information pertaining to lawful firearms purchases.
But the United States Senate does not appear to see it that way. People on Capitol Hill seem to think that any "edge" in the war on terror is worth trampling on the rights of law-abiding Americans, no matter what the Constitution (and current law) happens to say.
At issue is a provision in the Patriot Act reauthorization bill (S. 1266) authored by Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS). Now, GOA has long opposed the vast majority of Patriot Act powers as being detrimental to freedom in general and dangerous to gun owners in the particular.
In short, Sen. Roberts' language would allow the FBI to seize ANY business records it believes would be relevant to an anti-terrorism investigation... without first seeking permission from any court in the land.
Gun sales are business transactions, and FFL holders must retain copies of the 4473 forms (yellow sheets) filled out on every gun sale. Thus, an anti-gun administration could easily determine that such records would be useful in the fight against terrorism, and demand them all. (In fact, shortly after 9/11, liberal Democrats in Washington were screaming for exactly that.)
It gets worse. It is conceivable that your local gun dealer would risk his license, his business, and lots of money to protect your privacy and refuse to turn over the records. But under this legislation, the Attorney General could order the dealer NOT TO TELL YOU WHAT IS GOING ON. So that dealer would be the ONLY person who could contest the action before your life is raked over the coals... and honestly, how many among us would risk everything rather than tell the feds who it was that stopped by to pick up a Glock a couple of months ago?
After having used an "administrative subpeona" (again, not subject to judicial review) to collect all gun purchase records across the country, your friendly anti-gun but oh-so-patriotic government would have brought about the gun owner's second-worst-case scenario: a national firearms registration list.
Registration leads to confiscation.
This monstrosity must be stopped. Please take the action requested below, and urge all freedom-loving Americans you know to do the same.
ACTION: Contact your United States senators. Politely but firmly demand that they oppose the bill to expand the Patriot Act (S. 1266), and specifically, its provision to allow "administrative subpoenas" of all gun records.
http://www.gunowners.org/a062305.htm.
