7/01 Kearns Amendment Protects Gun Owner Privacy

Gun Owners of America Urges Support for the Kerns Amendment Protect the Privacy Rights of Gun Owners
Gun Owners of America
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408

July 18, 2001

On behalf of the 300,000 members of Gun Owners of America, I urge you to support the Kerns Amendment to the Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary Appropriations Bill.

Under the Brady Act, the Justice Department must destroy all records “relating to the person or the transfer” of approved firearms sales, thus preventing the registration of gun owners.

However, the Department of Justice has been allowed, contrary to the spirit and letter of the law, to maintain the names of lawful gun buyers for 90 days for auditing purposes. This raises grave concerns. There is a fine line between gun owner registration and maintaining an “audit log.”

Congressman Kerns’ amendment prohibits the use of funds in connection with any background check system for gun purchasers that provides for the retention of records, except for the information specifically exempted by the Act.

Gun Owners of America supports this amendment and urges all Representatives concerned with the privacy rights of firearms owners to support Rep. Kerns.

Sincerely,

John Velleco
Director of Federal Affairs