EDITORIAL

July 13, 2006

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ATF estimates show that 50 percent of the guns recovered in crimes are traced back to 1 percent of the gun dealers in America. The ability to track this information would give law enforcement officers a means to stop illegal gun traffickers. Supporters of the proposed amendment say it would protect law enforcement investigations from criminals who could gain access to this data and discover if they are a target.

In a letter to Congress on Monday, retired ATF officials, including former directors Steven Higgins and Rex Davis, wrote that limiting gun-tracking information would be "an obstacle to case development that is unknown elsewhere in law enforcement" because it would discourage ATF agents from sharing trace data with members of other police agencies. This, they wrote, would "help shield serious criminal offenders from discovery."

The Senate should heed the advice of law enforcement officials...