Statement of Mayors Against Illegal Guns Co-Chairs in Response to White House Delay of ATF Policy on Reporting Bulk Sales of Semiautomatic Assault Rifles

NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- White House Office of Management and Budget Rejected an Emergency Rule Proposed by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) to Require Certain Gun Dealers Along the Southwest Border to Report Bulk Sales of Rifles, Including Military-style Semiautomatic Rifles.

Click Here for Rule Text

The Rejection of the Emergency Rule Could Delay the Implementation of the ATF's Proposal for Months.

Statement of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg

"The White House decided that the illegal trafficking of thousands of semiautomatic assault rifles from the U.S. to Mexico is not an emergency, our coalition of over 550 mayors strongly disagrees. These guns are fueling violence that has claimed more than 30,000 lives and putting our law enforcement officers at risk. ATF recognizes the emergency but we need the White House to give the agency the support it needs do its job effectively."

Statement of Mayor Thomas M. Menino

"ATF's emergency proposal to require reporting of bulk sales of long guns would give law enforcement meaningful intelligence about gun trafficking from the U.S. to Mexican drug cartels. According to the Justice Department's Inspector General, these long guns make up nearly half of the guns recovered in Mexican crimes. ATF has said an overwhelming majority of these guns are traced back to the United States. It is disappointing that the Administration will not act swiftly to give ATF the investigative tools it needs to help stop these crimes."

SOURCE Mayors Against Illegal Guns

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