You may already know about H.R. 45. If not, please keep reading.  I drafted and sent an email to my three Florida reps: Mica, Nelson, and Martinez.  And received a prompt reply from Congressman Mica already. The bill, my email, and Mica’s reply are pasted below.

There’s a link following the bill summary and a petition available for signing.  But considering the topic and wording of this act, I think more action is required.

Please feel free to use the verbiage, in part or whole if you decide to act.  

H.R. 45 (Summary)

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: (1) 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; (2) a licensed manufacturer or dealer from failing to comply with reporting and record keeping requirements of this Act; (3) failing to report the loss or theft of the firearm to the Attorney General within 72 hours; (4) failing to report to the Attorney General an address change within 60 days; or (5) 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: (1) establish and maintain a firearm injury information clearinghouse; (2) conduct continuing studies and investigations of firearm-related deaths and injuries; and (3) 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.

 Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009

MY LETTER 

Please oppose Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009.

 Draconian restrictive gun laws have no impact on crimes committed with firearms, other than to disarm law-abiding citizens.

 States with the largest increases in gun ownership also have the largest drops in violent crimes. Thirty-one states now have such laws—called "shall-issue" laws. These laws allow adults the right to carry concealed handguns if they do not have a criminal record or a history of significant mental illness.

 Conversely, those districts with the toughest gun controls have the highest crimes rates. Furthermore, many countries, such as Switzerland, New Zealand, Finland, and Israel have high gun-ownership rates and low crime rates, while other countries have low gun ownership rates and either low or high crime rates. The empirical evidence reinforces commonsense. 

 What is incomprehensible and unconscionable is a congress trying to pass nonsensical laws which make all of us less safe; except of course the criminal. Finally, this is repressive and intrusive legislation that puts unnecessary burdens and restrictions on American citizens, while increasing the power and reach of the federal government into private lives.

 Thank you for supporting individual rights!

 V/R

 Tim XXXX

 Information paraphrased from “An interview with John R. Lott, Jr.” author of More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws. John R. Lott, Jr. is a resident scholar at American Enterprise Institute. He was previously the John M. Olin Visiting Law and Economics Fellow at the University of Chicago Law School

REPLY 

Dear Tim:

 Thank you for contacting me with your support for our Constitutional right to keep and bear arms. It was good to hear from you and I appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns with me.

 I agree with your views on this issue and have been a strong supporter of our Second Amendment rights. American citizens should be able to protect themselves and their families, and in fact, our Founding Fathers placed the right to bear arms second only to the freedom of speech in the Bill of Rights in our U.S. Constitution. One of my priorities since coming to Congress has been to protect those rights. Americans know that fighting crime is more complicated than just a simple issue of passing more government regulations. Be assured that in the 111th Congress I will continue working to ensure that Americans are guaranteed their right to protect themselves under the Second Amendment.

 Thank you again for sharing your views with me, and I hope you will continue to do so in the future regarding these or any other issues of interest.

 With my regards and best wishes, I remain

 Sincerely,

 John L. Mica

Member of Congress