Obama Broadening Background Check Requirements for Gun Sellers
- Administration plans to expand definition of firearms dealer
- Moves would also increase mental health reporting from states
Obama to Push to Close Gun Control Loophole
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The Obama administration is broadening the definition of who qualifies as a gun dealer as part of a package of executive actions intended to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill.
The steps, announced by the White House Monday, include directing federal prosecutors to focus on enforcement of existing gun laws and funding for more agents for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The administration will set new rules to ensure dealers report stolen or lost firearms and remove some legal barriers to reporting on mental health issues for the purposes of background checks.