WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKRN) – Congress is considering a new law that would make it illegal to give a gun to anyone whose license to own a gun has been revoked. It’s called the SAFER Act, short for Stop Access to Firearms Evading Revocation. The bill was inspired by the Waffle House shooting in Antioch.
Congressman Jamie Raskin (D- Md.) authored the bill and says each tragedy involving guns exposes another problem in the nation’s network of gun laws.
‘Travis Reinking got ahold of the weapons which had been taken away from him by the state of Illinois because his father returned them to him,” said Raskin. ”Then he went into Waffle House and he massacred four people.
The SAFER Act would make it illegal to transfer guns back to a person who has had their firearms license revoked.
“The idea that he would just get off scot-free after essentially arming his son to go out and commit this act is wrong,” said Raskin.
Congressman Raskin says giving guns back to someone after they are taken away by the authorities should be a federal crime.
But Congressman Bruce Westerman of Arkansas disagrees, saying the law can’t infringe on Second Amendment rights.
“We’ve got to enforce the laws that are there,” says Westerman (R-Ark), “and we’ve got to deal with the bad actors and quit blaming innocent Americans who have the right to bear arms for the problems of a few.”
Congressman Raskin’s bill would make it punishable by a year in prison to transfer guns back to a person who has had their firearms license revoked.
