Res. No. 1343 Title A resolution urging the United States Congress to enact comprehensive legislation that will help prevent the flow of illegal guns into the City of New York. Body By Council Members Leffler, Boyland, Dear, Malave-Dilan, Espada, Freed, Henry, Marshall, Moskowitz, Nelson, Quinn, Reed, Warden, Wooten and Stabile; also Council Members DiBrienza, Fisher, Lasher, McCaffrey, Michels, O'Donovan, Pinkett, Rivera, Robinson and Sabini Whereas, Gun violence is a serious concern in all American cities, including New York City; and Whereas, According to the Preliminary Fiscal 2000 Mayor's Management Report, there were 2,009 reports of shooting victims, 1,757 reports of shooting incidents, 2,808 arrests for gun possession and 10,389 guns confiscated in Fiscal Year 1999; and Whereas, Most illegal guns in New York City originate in only five states; and Whereas, Illegal guns wind up in the hands of criminals, who use them to commit crimes against members of our City; and Whereas, At a recent hearing of the Public Safety Committee, the Police Department testified regarding its efforts in stemming the tide of illegal guns into New York City, but indicated that much more needs to be done on the federal level; and Whereas, As the Police Department indicated in its testimony, as long as there are legal means for people to purchase unlimited numbers of weapons, accompanied by a strong profit motive to sell weapons to those who can not lawfully possess them, it will be an uphill battle to limit the number of guns flowing into our City; and Whereas, In light of this reality, the U.S. Congress must enact comprehensive legislation to help stop the flow of illegal guns into our City; and Whereas, Such legislation should include (a) repeal of a federal law which prevents the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) from establishing a national computerized registry of all handgun transactions; (b) a ballistic tracing program, which would require every handgun manufacturer to provide a spent bullet and shell casing for every handgun sold so that a computer database could be established to help trace bullets and casings found at the scene of a crime; and (c) a mandate that all guns and bullets carry a serial number; and Whereas, Such comprehensive legislation is vitally important in helping to prevent the senseless acts of violence witnessed in our City on a daily basis; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York urges the United States Congress to enact comprehensive legislation that will help prevent the flow of illegal guns into the City of New York. LS#2958