More Trace Data Stuff
Before the ban, the publicly available tracing data was used by city officials and law enforcement agencies to determine the sources of illegally trafficked firearms and identify the top guns traced to crime. When the info ban was first put in place for fiscal year 2004, it even banned the release of the number of guns manufactured in America. This was quickly reversed–because the gun industry wanted the information. The bill now goes to the House floor and then on to the Senate.
The non-disclosure language prohibits ATF from releasing information related to crime gun traces performed by the agency except in connection with a bona fide criminal investigation.
Actually, the data was mostly used to launch the bogus anti-gun maker lawsuits.
