On Thursday, June 28, 2001, Attorney General Ashcroft issued a statement outlining the Justice Department's efforts to increase the nationwide rate of gun crime prosecution by improving the National Instant Criminal Background Check System established under the Brady Act.

The Brady background check system drew fire in March 2001, when a team of investigators from the GAO reported that special agents were able to bypass the background checks in five states, successfully using fake IDs to purchase firearms.

Based on their investigation, GAO concluded that in the five states, "the instant background check does not positively identify purchasers of firearms," and that it "cannot ensure that the prospective purchaser is not a felon." [See: Fake ID's Foil Brady Checks - GAO]

Both the Attorney General and the Bush Administration have expressed an intent to strengthen enforcement of existing gun control laws rather than enacting additional new legislation.

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2001 -- ATTORNEY GENERAL STATEMENT

WASHINGTON, DC Attorney General Ashcroft today released the following statement regarding NICS:

• "A top priority of this administration and this Department of Justice is reducing gun crime by the vigorous enforcement of the nation's gun laws. The Brady Act, enacted in 1994, requires that all federally licensed gun dealers perform a background check before selling a firearm. It helps us stop convicted felons and other dangerous people from buying guns easily. Today I am announcing a plan to improve the process of background checks on gun buyers that achieves two major objectives:
  
  
• The first is to increase prosecutions of those who attempt to purchase guns illegally.
  
  
• The second is to improve the accuracy, efficiency and reliability of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS.

"Just a few weeks ago, President Bush unveiled Project Safe Neighborhoods, a comprehensive national strategy to enforce vigorously existing gun laws. Federal law makes it a felony for convicted felons and other dangerous persons even to possess a gun. Federal law also makes it a felony for convicted felons and other dangerous people to lie about their records in attempting to buy a gun. Violation of these laws carries penalties of up to ten years in prison. Violators can and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

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