Below the Radar: Blair Holt Firearm Owner Licensing and Record of Sale Act

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New York Handgun License ApplicationChicago/United States – -(AmmoLand.com)- Sometimes, anti-Second Amendment legislation falls under the radar because it is introduced in Congress after Congress. The Blair Holt Firearm Owner Licensing and Record of Sale Act is one of these bills, and this one is a real doozy should it ever be enacted. In the 116th Congress, this legislation is HR 4062 in the House of Representatives, where it was introduced by Representative Bobby Rush (D-IL) and S 2272 in the Senate, where Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is the sponsor. Rush has introduced this legislation in 2007, 2009, 2013, 2018, and 2019. For the last two years, Senator Duckworth introduced companion legislation in the Senate. Rush has been engaging in some savvy marketing, though. He named the legislation after a high school student who died protecting a friend. However, both he and Senator Duckworth are seeking to punish over 100 million law-abiding gun owners for the death of Blair Holt. According to a release by Representative Rush, this legislation is modeled on the FOID system in Illinois. If you thought the Handgun Purchaser Licensing Act was an injustice in the way it treats those who wish to exercise their Second Amendment rights like common criminals, this bill is worse on three fronts. First, it is actually imposed by the federal government. The Handgun Purchaser Licensing Act merely offers states bribes to pass licensing laws. Second, this bill goes beyond handguns and also places any semi-automatic rifle with a detachable magazine under the licensing scheme as well. If you remember how rarely rifles are used in crime, and familiar with the latest statistics, then it should be easy to see how much of a crock that provision is. Third, this bill then proceeds to also mandate a “record of sale.” Let’s call that what it really is, folks: Registration. This is what Nelson “Pete” Shields said was the “second problem” in terms of securing the eventual ban on handguns he sought. Anyone familiar with the way that law-abiding gun owners suffered injustices after mass shootings in England, Australia, and New Zealand should keep in mind that registration made inflicting those injustices possible. Second Amendment supporters should find the sky-high crime and murder rates in Chicago unacceptable. Governments have the duty to ensure that the streets are safe. The fact is, the solution has been evident since 1999: Project Exile. Proper enforcement of the provisions of 18 USC 922(d), 18 USC 922(g), 18 USC 922(i), 18 USC 922(j), and 18 USC 922(u), along with the sentencing enhancements in 18 USC 924 would do far more to make Chicago safe than the unjust law Representative Rush and Senator Duckworth want to impose on America. Thankfully, Senators Charles Grassley and Ted Cruz have introduced an alternative to this legislation in the form of the Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act. This legislation includes an expansion of Project Exile, as well as other improvements to the situation that those who exercise their Second Amendment rights face. Second Amendment supporters should take the time to contact their Representative and Senators and politely urge them to oppose the Blair Holt Firearm Owner Licensing and Record of Sale Act and to request that they instead support the Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act. Law-abiding gun owners should not be treated like common criminals. About Harold Hutchison Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.