WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of House lawmakers reintroduced a bill Tuesday that would make trafficking in firearms a federal crime and strengthen the penalties for those who purchase guns for people prohibited from owning them.
Reps. Patrick Meehan, R-Penn., and Scott Rigell, R-Va., joined Democratic Reps. Carolyn Maloney of New York and Elijah Cummings of Maryland in co-sponsoring the bill — one of the few gun-related measures to start with support from members of both parties.
In addition to barring the trafficking of firearms, the bill would make the penalty for "straw purchases" — those intentionally made for prohibited individuals — up to 20 years in prison. It would enhance penalties for "organizers or managers of firearms trafficking networks" and recommends stricter punishments for the purchase of multiple illegal guns.
The bill would not burden law-abiding gun owners or buyers and would not hurt Second Amendment rights, the bill's sponsors said.
more here:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/02/05/bipartisan-group-focuses-on-gun-trafficking/1894367/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=206567
Subject: Bipartisan House group pushes gun trafficking bill 
Tue Feb 05, 2013 11:12 pm
