Historic Move on Gun Laws “Will Save Lives”

The United States is now requiring mandatory background checks for individuals who wish to become licensed firearms dealers in a drive to tighten gun laws and prevent weapons from ending up in criminal hands.

“Under this regulation, it will not matter if guns are sold on the internet, at a gun show, or at a brick-and-mortar store: if you sell guns predominantly to earn a profit, you must be licensed, and you must conduct background checks,” explains the attorney general, Merrick Garland. “This regulation is a historic step in the justice department’s fight against gun violence. It will save lives.”

The Biden administration has long wanted to close the so-called gun show loophole – which exempts private transactions from restrictions that apply to licensed dealers. Indeed, according to the White House, 22% of guns owned by Americans were acquired without a background check. The new regulation – a hardening of the 2022 bipartisan Safer Communities Act stipulating that all persons “who devote time, attention, and labour to dealing in firearms as a regular course of trade or business to earn a profit predominantly” would be considered a dealer – will impose a background check to some 23,000 more individuals for them to become licensed dealers.