1 00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:03,366 GEOFF BENNETT: Welcome to the "NewsHour." 2 00:00:03,366 --> 00:00:06,700 The Biden White House is issuing a rule designed to close a gap that allows gun buyers to avoid 3 00:00:06,700 --> 00:00:11,700 background checks. Officials are touting the move to end the so-called gun show loophole, 4 00:00:13,700 --> 00:00:17,266 one of the most significant steps to crack down on unlicensed dealers in decades. 5 00:00:19,233 --> 00:00:21,833 The rule requires background checks on buyers when dealers sell guns at gun shows, 6 00:00:21,833 --> 00:00:26,833 flea markets, social media or other places outside of brick-and-mortar stores. 7 00:00:28,266 --> 00:00:30,400 Attorney General Merrick Garland today praised the effort. 8 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,833 MERRICK GARLAND, U.S. Attorney General: Under this regulation, it will not matter if guns 9 00:00:34,833 --> 00:00:39,800 are sold on the Internet, at a gun show or at a brick-and-mortar store. If you sell 10 00:00:42,100 --> 00:00:46,033 guns predominantly to earn a profit, you must be licensed and you must conduct background checks. 11 00:00:49,266 --> 00:00:53,300 This regulation is a historic step in the Justice 12 00:00:53,300 --> 00:00:58,266 Department's fight against gun violence. It will save lives. 13 00:01:00,133 --> 00:01:01,933 GEOFF BENNETT: We're joined now by Kris Brown, president of Brady, 14 00:01:01,933 --> 00:01:04,666 the nation's oldest gun violence prevention group. 15 00:01:04,666 --> 00:01:06,666 Thanks so much for coming in. We appreciate it. 16 00:01:06,666 --> 00:01:08,733 KRIS BROWN, President, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: Thanks for having me. 17 00:01:08,733 --> 00:01:11,600 GEOFF BENNETT: So, gun show sellers and online vendors have been subject to much 18 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:16,200 looser federal regulation than vendors who sell from brick-and-mortar stores. 19 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:21,066 How did we arrive at this two-tier system and what's been the effect of it? 20 00:01:21,066 --> 00:01:24,533 KRIS BROWN: The effect is individuals who are dying in this country at the 21 00:01:24,533 --> 00:01:29,533 hands of killers who have far too easy access to firearms. 22 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,400 How did it happen? Because, when the Brady law was enacted in 1993, there wasn't this 23 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,533 thing we call the Internet and gun shows weren't big business. Fast-forward to today, 24 00:01:42,366 --> 00:01:46,133 all of these years later, and they are, right? The way that the Brady 25 00:01:46,133 --> 00:01:51,100 law was worded was really focused on brick-and-mortar dealers of firearms. 26 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,400 As a result of the proliferation of gun shows and Internet sales, estimates show about one in five 27 00:01:59,533 --> 00:02:03,866 guns sold today are sold with no background check at all. This new rule, which was issued 28 00:02:06,500 --> 00:02:11,500 pursuant to the bipartisan Safer Communities Act -- so Congress told ATF to issue this rule. 29 00:02:13,833 --> 00:02:16,933 They didn't do it just sua sponte, of nothing, OK? And 15 Republican senators voted yes on that bill, 30 00:02:19,100 --> 00:02:24,100 says that anyone who is actually in the business of selling firearms anywhere, 31 00:02:26,466 --> 00:02:30,133 whether it's at a gun show, whether it's over the Internet, has to be a licensed seller. And this 32 00:02:32,266 --> 00:02:36,000 will significantly increase the safety and the efficacy of the Brady background check system. 33 00:02:37,500 --> 00:02:39,866 GEOFF BENNETT: So this rule will be in effect in 30 days. 34 00:02:39,866 --> 00:02:41,966 KRIS BROWN: Correct. 35 00:02:41,966 --> 00:02:43,633 GEOFF BENNETT: And the White House says that more than 20,000 individuals involved 36 00:02:43,633 --> 00:02:47,100 in unlicensed dealings could be affected by these changes. 37 00:02:47,100 --> 00:02:51,133 In real terms, what's the impact of that, 20,000 individuals? 38 00:02:51,133 --> 00:02:54,566 KRIS BROWN: Well, actually, what they're talking about is 20,000 sellers. 39 00:02:54,566 --> 00:02:59,533 So let's keep in mind that many of these sellers who are selling today at gun shows 40 00:03:01,366 --> 00:03:04,933 or on the Internet may not be selling one or two or three or four. They may 41 00:03:04,933 --> 00:03:09,933 be selling many firearms. In fact, what the White House noted in its talking points is, 42 00:03:11,900 --> 00:03:16,300 these unlicensed sales studies show, and ATF has data recently, a huge proportion of the 43 00:03:18,500 --> 00:03:23,500 trafficked firearms that we find committed in crimes come from these unlicensed sellers. 44 00:03:26,466 --> 00:03:31,466 So the lifesaving potential is huge. Again, hearkening back, one in five guns sold today, 20 45 00:03:33,833 --> 00:03:37,500 percent of firearms, and millions are sold, right, are now potentially subject to this rule. What's 46 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:44,800 left undone is a universal background check. We still advocate that. And what would that mean? 47 00:03:46,900 --> 00:03:51,900 That means, any time you ever do a transfer of a firearm, a background check happens. 48 00:03:54,100 --> 00:03:58,500 This rule focuses on the commercial sale. We want to ensure that it's a universal check. 49 00:04:00,933 --> 00:04:03,500 GEOFF BENNETT: Well, gun rights advocates say that this rule and expanded background checks will put 50 00:04:03,500 --> 00:04:08,266 onerous restrictions on law-abiding citizens and won't actually stop criminals from getting guns. 51 00:04:08,266 --> 00:04:11,666 Here's what Erich Pratt -- he's the senior vice president of Gun Owners 52 00:04:11,666 --> 00:04:14,966 of America. Here's what he told us earlier today. 53 00:04:14,966 --> 00:04:16,833 ERICH PRATT, Senior Vice President, Gun Owners of America: This is a restriction 54 00:04:16,833 --> 00:04:20,666 the Second Amendment. It's not going to make people safer. This rule will 55 00:04:20,666 --> 00:04:24,500 not stop bad guys from getting weapons, for starters. You don't 56 00:04:24,500 --> 00:04:29,500 punish good people or restrict their rights because of what bad guys do. 57 00:04:31,466 --> 00:04:33,866 GEOFF BENNETT: So, what about that, that the overwhelming number of criminals rely 58 00:04:33,866 --> 00:04:38,366 on illegal purchases, either from the black market or from straw purchases? 59 00:04:38,366 --> 00:04:43,200 KRIS BROWN: Well, first of all, 15 members of the United States Senate who are Republicans, 60 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:48,200 including John Cornyn from Texas, said that this exact law that was 61 00:04:50,300 --> 00:04:54,800 passed that ATF has now adopted here in this regulation struck the right 62 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:58,033 balance and isn't infringing on people's Second Amendment rights. 63 00:04:58,033 --> 00:05:00,933 So I would push back that anyone's Second Amendment rights are actually 64 00:05:00,933 --> 00:05:05,933 infringed upon here. And looking at the rule and the details behind it, 65 00:05:07,633 --> 00:05:11,133 we have traffickers and sales that are illegal happening today. And the 66 00:05:13,266 --> 00:05:18,133 harm that's being meted out is on victims of gun violence who are being killed because we 67 00:05:20,433 --> 00:05:24,933 allow people who are felons or domestic abusers to easily access guns through this loophole. 68 00:05:27,666 --> 00:05:29,600 Today, that is being closed, 69 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:34,433 and we think the balancing to save lives is the right kind of balance to make. 70 00:05:35,900 --> 00:05:37,666 GEOFF BENNETT: As you mentioned, the Biden administration found a 71 00:05:37,666 --> 00:05:39,733 provision in existing law to get this rule done. They're basically 72 00:05:39,733 --> 00:05:44,033 doing a work-around around Congress because of congressional Republicans, 73 00:05:44,033 --> 00:05:48,533 for the most part, and a couple of Democrats who have blocked universal background checks. 74 00:05:48,533 --> 00:05:51,700 Are there any other novel ways you think this 75 00:05:51,700 --> 00:05:55,400 administration could push forward gun safety policy? 76 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,233 KRIS BROWN: Look, I think this administration 77 00:05:57,233 --> 00:06:01,666 has gone about as far as you can go without congressional action. 78 00:06:01,666 --> 00:06:05,333 I think there are additional things that the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, 79 00:06:05,333 --> 00:06:10,333 which President Biden created, under the auspice of Vice President Harris, is doing, 80 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:16,033 a whole-of-government approach, for example, thinking through how we procure firearms in 81 00:06:18,166 --> 00:06:22,033 this country, and making sure that any federal or state agency that is procuring firearms is 82 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,266 only purchasing them from dealers who don't have a single crime gun associated with their business. 83 00:06:29,133 --> 00:06:32,033 There are many things like that that this administration is looking at, 84 00:06:32,033 --> 00:06:37,033 and it can do. But if we, as Americans, want to ensure that every single gun sale is subject to 85 00:06:39,033 --> 00:06:43,133 a background check, we're going to have to think about this in this next election 86 00:06:43,133 --> 00:06:48,133 and make sure we make that a priority, because only that authority can be provided by Congress. 87 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,066 GEOFF BENNETT: Kris Brown of Brady, 88 00:06:51,066 --> 00:06:52,466 thanks so much for your time and for your insights. We appreciate it. 89 00:06:52,466 --> 00:06:57,466 KRIS BROWN: Thank you. Thanks for having me.