Our Right to Bear Arms

I got this email late last night;


H.R. 45 (Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009) targets all gun owners in the U.S.A. While the media the world and everyone else is focused on the "phony plan" to spend tax dollars legislation is sneaking through the House and Senate for more gun control.

This nefarious bill seeks to strip us all of our Constitutional Rights to possess and bear firearms of any distinction. It requires, within the first two years, that all new guns be registered. The bill goes retroactive after two years. Meaning that two years after the passage of the bill, ALL FIREARMS in a citizen's possession must be registered, not just those purchased after the bill passes, and this apparently applies to antique firearms as well.


Every five years the firearm owner must go through a complete renewal process for each weapon owned. Failure to comply carries stiff penalties including confiscation of the firearms and jail time (penalties as high as ten years imprisonment in some cases). The bill also authorizes government searches without warrant, the creation of a federal bureaucracy to monitor firearm possession, etc.

The following is a summary of the bill as provided by the Congressional Research Service. If you read the whole bill, you'll find it will effectively preclude the ownership of any firearms by law-abiding people unless directly licensed by the Attorney General :

1/6/2009--Introduced. Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 - Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit a person from possessing a firearm unless that person has been issued a firearm license under this Act or a state system certified under this Act and such license has not been invalidated or revoked. Prescribes license application, issuance, and renewal requirements.

Prohibits transferring or receiving a qualifying firearm unless the recipient presents a valid firearms license, the license is verified, and the dealer records a tracking authorization number. Prescribes firearms transfer reporting and record keeping requirements. Directs the Attorney General to establish and maintain a federal record of sale system.

Prohibits:
Transferring a firearm to any person other than a licensee, unless the transfer is processed through a licensed dealer in accordance with national instant criminal background check system requirements, with exceptions;
Licensed manufacturer or dealer from failing to comply with reporting and record keeping requirements of this Act;
Failing to report the loss or theft of the firearm to the Attorney General within 72 hours;
Failing to report to the Attorney General an address change within 60 days;
Keeping a loaded firearm, or an unloaded firearm and ammunition for the firearm, knowingly or recklessly disregarding the risk that a child is capable of gaining access, if a child uses the firearm and causes death or serious bodily injury.
Prescribes criminal penalties for violations of firearms provisions covered by this Act. Directs the Attorney General to:
Establish and maintain a firearm injury information clearinghouse;
Conduct continuing studies and investigations of firearm-related deaths and injuries; and
Collect and maintain current production and sales figures of each licensed manufacturer. Authorizes the Attorney General to certify state firearm licensing or record of sale systems.


Like all other threats against our freedoms, we must rise and defeat this bill, slap it down hard.

first off... WHAT!?! How on earth does this keep guns out of the hands of criminals? Only those of us that are law abiding (even if that law is insanely stupid) will be punished. It seems a lot like NAIS, but for fire arms. So I went to look it up. HR 45

Now this doesn't say much at all. And don't we already have laws like this? And then I have to question State Laws. Doesn't the States supersede the Federal? Or am I confused about what the Constitution states. Do we even still have one of those? why are they wasting our tax money on yet another law on the same subject that we already have a ton of laws for. Why over turn the Brady Bill?

Does anyone know about this bill? I clicked on related bills since this gives a vague description of what it is really about. I don't feel like getting overly paranoid at this point. I am kind of tired of all the laws that are meant to save us from ourselves. Every person I know owns a firearm, legally under the state laws. Some have conceal and carry permits, we even thought about one of those. But if I can't keep my gun with out having to re-licence and wait to see if the federal government decides that I am not a bad guy, well. . . Doesn't matter. If you have more info on this, could you kindly share it with me. I really believe that the laws that are already in place are enough for the good guys.

All I want is a rifle. . .