H.R. 45: THE BLAIR HOLT FIREARM LICENSING AND RECORD OF SALE ACT OF 2009

On the afternoon of May 10, 2007, Blair Holt, a junior at Julian High School in Chicago, was killed on a public bus riding home from school when he used his body to shield a girl who was in the line of fire after a young man boarded the bus and started shooting.

To mark this ultimate act of heroism, Congress has named House Resolution 45 after his memory. The act is intended:

(1) to protect the public against the unreasonable risk of injury and death associated with the unrecorded sale or transfer of qualifying firearms to criminals and youth;
(2) to ensure that owners of qualifying firearms are knowledgeable in the safe use, handling, and storage of those firearms;
(3) to restrict the availability of qualifying firearms to criminals, youth, and other persons prohibited by Federal law from receiving firearms; and
(4) to facilitate the tracing of qualifying firearms used in crime by Federal and State law enforcement agencies

The act will also mandate the Attorney General to:
(1) establish and maintain a firearm injury information clearinghouse to collect, investigate, analyze, and disseminate data and information relating to the causes and prevention of death and injury associated with firearms;
(2) conduct continuing studies and investigations of firearm-related deaths and injuries; and
(3) collect and maintain current production and sales figures for each licensed manufacturer.

Although the gun totin' rednecks of the world will see this as phase one of an all out ban on guns, any level headed, intelligent citizen will see this for what it is, an all too long overdue attempt to keep guns out of the hands of minors, felons and the mentally ill. Obviously, I strongly urge its passage. Please write or call your Congressional representatives and urge them to vote "Aye," and not for an eye for an eye.