NEW YORK: Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Jack Reed (D-RI) on Jan 30, joined with law enforcement officials, a Virginia Tech shooting victim and families of Virginia Tech victims and Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence to announce a new legislation to close the "gun show loophole" nationwide.

The Lautenberg-Reed bill would help keep guns out of the hands of criminals, spousal abusers and the severely mentally ill by requiring background checks on all sales at gun shows. Police chiefs from across the country are advocating for stronger gun violence prevention laws and support closing the gun show loophole. Recently, Michael J. Sullivan, acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), stated that President

Bush has indicated he would support a measure to close the loophole. In 1993, the Brady Law was passed requiring prospective purchasers of guns sold by federal firearms licensees, like gun shops and pawn shops, to go through a background check.

However, a loophole in current law allows people to purchase guns from unlicensed sellers at gun shows without going through a background check.