Is it even possible to 'reform' the BATFE?

May 4, 2:37 AMSt. Louis Gun Rights ExaminerKurt Hofmann

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Last Thursday, United States Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced S. 941, the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act of 2009."  Text for this bill is not yet available, but it will likely be substantially similar, if not identical, to the previous congressional session's House bill of the same name, H.R. 4900.  The full text of that bill can be found here, but here's a brief summary:

12/19/2007--Introduced.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act of 2007 - Amends the federal criminal code to revise the civil penalties for violations of firearms law and the procedures for assessing such penalties.

Revises the definition of "willfully" for purposes of firearms violations and standards for criminal violations of firearms recordkeeping requirements.

Requires the Attorney General to: (1) make preliminary determinations on firearms license applications and notify applicants in writing of a proposed denial; and (2) establish guidelines for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) inspections, examinations, or investigations of possible firearms violations.

Prohibits ATF from disclosing information on firearms purchasers other than to a court, law enforcement agency, or prosecutor.

Permits an owner of a firearms business whose license is expired, surrendered, or revoked 60 days to liquidate inventory.

Requires any state agency that stores or keeps explosive materials to report to the Attorney General on the location and amount of such materials.

Allows the transfer and possession of machineguns for use by federal security contractors.

Prohibits taxes or user fees for background checks under the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act.

Eliminates the requirement of written permission for the use of a handgun for lawful purposes by a minor (under age 18) where a parent or legal guardian is present at all times during such use.

Restricts the disclosure of information in the ATF firearms trace system database.

Increases penalties for possession of firearms by felons with prior convictions of a crime of violence or a serious drug offense.

There are a great many much-needed reforms in that bill, but a couple jump out at me as being particularly needed--anything that would "establish guidelines for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) inspections, examinations, or investigations of possible firearms violations," for example, is long overdue, as my colleague David Codrea illustrated.

H.R. 4900 never passed (was never, in fact, voted on), but clearly had enough support in the House for passage there (a majority of the representatives--224 of 435--signed on as co-sponsors).  The reasoning behind not voting on it in the House, apparently, was that there was little hope for its passage in the Senate.

The bill's introduction in the Senate, this time, with a Democrat as the first co-sponsor, perhaps signals an increase in Senate support for this important measure.  I must confess to a rather strong dose of skepticism on that score, though--in 2006, the very similar H.R. 5092 seemed likely to pass, but virulently anti-gun Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) was able to block it unilaterally, despite Republican control of the Senate.  With the Senate now firmly under (filibuster-proof) Democrat control, and with even "pro-gun Democrats" like U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillbrand (D-NY), who, as a U.S. Representative, was a co-sponsor of H.R. 4900, now saying that she would not support it as a Senator, I have my doubts.

Besides, as inplied by the title of this article, I have my doubts that attempts to "reform" the BATFE could ever succeed.  I invite any who question that assertion to watch "The Gang," produced by Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (JPFO).  They have a much better idea than trying to "reform" the irredeemable.