This week, the Biden administration attempted to win a gun control victory lap. It failed to grasp the facts from the beginning. Attorney General Merrick Garland released a press release hyping the Department of Justice’s (DOJ), issuing a new rule. The rule requires firearm retailers to provide safe firearm storage devices for their customers. The DOJ seems to not realize that it is simply imposing an existing rule.
RELATED STORY
President’s Crime Approach: Gun Control Rinse. Lather. Repeat.
DOJ takes victory lap after imposing existing rule
It sounds great on paper, especially if someone wants to make a political statement. However, that’s all it really is. Perhaps Attorney General Garland would have been better to issue a press release in which the DOJ affirmed the excellent work that the firearm industry has done for years when it concerns safe firearm storage.
This is the only new thing about it. An anti-gun presidential administration is trying to take credit for what is already occurring.
The same
The DOJ issued a press release announcing their new rule for the New Years. It published it together with a Best Practices Guide to federal firearms licensees. It codifies a Gun Control Act provision requiring firearm retailers to verify that they offer secure storage options for sale at the same place firearms are sold. This includes any safe, gun safe or gun case that can be used to store firearms and that can only be opened with a key, combination, or other similar means.
NSSF points out that firearm retailers have been doing this for years. Firearm retailers must certify to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when applying for their federal firearm license. Attorney General Garland’s rule only applies what is already happening. This is not something new or extraordinary, contrary to what the Biden administration would like you to believe.
To sell secure storage devices, firearm retailers didn’t have to follow any laws or rules. It’s a good business idea. Firearm retailers sell safety products because customers need them. Safety training is the same. The new rule was not necessary.
Validation of the NSSF’s Work
This is a small part of the decades-long work that NSSF has done to ensure safe firearm storage. Since 1997, firearm manufacturers have provided free locking devices with every new firearm that they shipped from their factories. Every new gun comes with a lock. Some manufacturers have been offering free locks for decades.
There is a law already that requires firearm retailers to do what they have been doing. The bipartisan Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, (PLCAA), President Joe Biden is trying to repeal, contains a provision called “Child Safety Lock Act of 2006” that requires firearm retailers to include a safety lock device with every handgun they sell.
Industry Leader
None of this includes voluntary programs that the firearm industry has spearheaded to ensure firearms are safely stored. Project ChildSafe(r), a firearm industry initiative, is one of the core components of Real Solutions. Safer Communities(r), a campaign to encourage voluntary efforts that provide effective solutions to firearm ownership issues. The firearm industry is openly advocating that firearms should be kept safe and out of reach of anyone who might want them. This includes all unauthorised users, including children and people who are not supervised or prohibited. This is especially important given the fact that millions of people have become gun owners in the last two years.
Project ChildSafe partners in partnership with 15,000 law enforcement agencies from all 50 states and five U.S. Territories. It has distributed more than 40 million firearm safety kits that include a locking device. These locking devices make firearms inoperable and protect the owner from negligence. This program is not new, but it can save lives. It has been awarded the Green Cross Awards by the National Safety Council and the Government Accountability Office for its effectiveness. The Department of Veterans Affairs was also included in the free gun locks and safety kit program. This was done in conjunction with another Real Solutions component for suicide prevention. Even President Biden, who was vice president at the time, stated to NSSF that Project ChildSafe was doing “good things”.
Education and Options
Secure storage campaigns don’t have to be about imposing mandates or requiring requirements. Instead, they focus on education about safe storage options for gun owners throughout the course of their lives. The storage options available to a single adult are very different from those available for a married couple with children. Safe firearm storage options can change as families grow and children have children. Some people might prefer a cable-style locking device, while others may prefer a trigger lock that can be accessed with a key. Others might prefer an RFID-equipped small safe or electronic lock box. For others, traditional upright safes may be a better choice. Every firearm owner should evaluate their firearm storage needs periodically and adjust as their lives change.
This education process has been a success because the firearm industry is at the forefront of it. Many firearm retailers will help customers understand the options and choose the best secure storage option for them. Every firearm sold at retail is provided with a locking device by the manufacturer. These locks are combined with those distributed by Project ChildSafe, which has distributed over 100 million locking devices in the last 20 years. These locks are often kept in stock by retailers to give to customers who may require additional.
These voluntary efforts to encourage safe storage of firearms at home have been a foundation of the work done by the firearm industry to promote responsible gun ownership. The DOJ Final Rule does not change anything and will not affect the efforts of the firearm industry to continue to lead this effort.
This Final Rule is not new. This is a way for the Biden administration to say they support the work of the gun industry without actually saying it.
Original story posted to NSSF.org
The post DOJ Garland Issues A Press Release Imposing an Already Existing Rules appeared first on Personal Defense World.
