Ashcroft Targets Illegal Aliens -
Protects Law-Abiding Gun Purchasers
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"...Ashcroft also reiterated his
intent to uphold federal laws that forbid using records on transfers
that are not denied..." |
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On Wednesday,
U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced a number of
new steps that will be taken to improve the efficiency of the
National
Instant Check System (NICS). Designed under the guidance of the
Clinton-Gore Administration, the system contains serious flaws.
Ashcroft's first step was to instruct the FBI and the Immigration and
Naturalization Services (INS) to use immigration records to check if a
potential firearm purchaser is in the country illegally, and thus
prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm.
The second step involved improving the efficiency of NICS to increase
the percentage of immediate and final responses - either "proceed" or
"deny" - on record checks, which would help to greatly diminish the number
of "delay" responses that plague the system and keep law-abiding gun
purchasers from taking possession of firearms.
The third step AG Ashcroft took was to promote state initiatives to
update and automate their criminal history files, and he committed $141
million over the next three years to this effort.
While taking questions from the media, Ashcroft also reiterated his
intent to uphold federal laws that forbid using records on transfers
that are not denied through NICS for anything other than auditing the
system.
In addition to announcing these steps to improve the operation of NICS,
AG Ashcroft also announced the Justice Department would undertake a new
initiative called
Project Sentry, which is designed to ensure America's
children are safe from violent crime involving firearms while attending
school.
NRA applauds AG Ashcroft for working to correct the flaws with NICS, and
for reaffirming his commitment to ensuring the NICS system is not abused
by those who would like to see it turned into a mechanism to implement
an illegal registration scheme.
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USDOJ press conference - Feb 2002
Ashcroft Confirms Second Amendment Protects Individual Right - May 2001
Ashcroft Calls For "Tougher Enforcement," Not New Laws - Feb 2001
Public Supports Enforcement - Clinton Ignores - Apr 2000
Law Enforcement Supports Law-Abiding Gun-Owners - Aug 2000
Federal Prosecution Failures - Sep 1999
Lack of Enforcement Costs Lives - Jul 1999
Enforcing Laws Works! - Jan 1999
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