Shall Not Be Questioned pointed me to Sen. Toomey (R-PA)'s press release, and shares my reaction: if the bill is as advertised, they get relatively little (a requirement for background checks at gun shows and "online sales" which really means...what?); we get substantial advantages:
1. Does not affect private party sales other than at gun shows and online.
2. Does not affect intrafamily and temporary transfers.
3. Requires background checks at gun shows to be completed or allowed within 48 yhours, cutting back to 24 hours several years from now, as NICS improves.
4. Cuts off funding to states that do not provide criminal conviction and mental hospital commitment records to NICS.
5. Provides protection for veterans who are put on the NICS list based on disabilities.
6. Appears to extend the Firearms Owners Protection Act so that if you are driving through New York State with a gun unloaded and secured in the trunk, you can stop the night for lodging, or for a meal. Some states currently only allow you to stop for "biological necessity" (by which they don't mean eating a meal) to avoid being sent to prison.
7. Permits interstate purchases of handguns from dealers -- which may be a big deal if you live on the edge of a state with many gun dealers, but you are a resident across that state line.
8. Criminalizes creating a gun registry: 15 years in prison.
Again: we'll have to read the bill to be sure that it does what they claim. If so, this is a largely symbolic gain for them (few gun show sales are not by dealers), and real gains for us. It would appear that Democrats have figured out that they need to throw a bone to the gun control crowd, but not do anything too serious that would endanger Democrats running in pro-gun states next year.
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