In a move the Justice Department hails as one of
the most significant gun regulations in decades,
Attorney General Merrick Garland unveiled a new rule to require
mostly anyone who sells guns to run a federal background
check.
If you sell guns predominantly to earn a profit,
you must be licensed and you must conduct background checks.
This regulation is a historic step in the Justice Department's
fight against gun violence,
Garland says. This rule aims to close the so-called gun
show loophole that allowed people to sell firearms at gun
shows,
online and at other private or informal venues without conducting
background checks on buyers.
Too often these black market guns wind up in the
hands of people who are not allowed to have them.
President Biden says he has spent hours with families affected
by gun violence who all have a similar message.
Do something. The ATF says it was able to enhance
background checks because of the passage of the 2022 bipartisan
Safer Communities Act.
There may be challenges to this new rule in court.
The Biden administration tells ABC News they are confident it
will hold up.
It will save lives. There is still so much more
to do.
There have been 106 mass shootings so far this year,
according to the Gun Violence Archive.
More mass shootings than there have been days.
During the 90 day open comment period,
the administration says it received nearly 388,000 comments,
which overwhelmingly favored this new rule.
It's expected to go into effect in about 30 days.