WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) in reintroducing the Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Protection Act of 2021 to address the rapid increase in the number of “smash-and-grab” thefts targeted at federally licensed gun dealers. The Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act was originally introduced in 2019.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has reported a 43 percent increase in the number of FFL burglaries and a 15 percent decrease in the number of FFL robberies from 2019 to 2020. While the number of robberies decreased, the number of firearms taken during robberies increased by 53 percent. In 2020, 6,269 firearms were taken in nationwide FFL burglaries and robberies.
“As crime increases across our nation under the Biden Administration, law abiding businesses like gun stores and pawn shops are seeing a dramatic rise in firearm theft by criminals and gang members,” said Senator Tuberville. “An increase in illegal and untraceable firearms on our streets means a decrease in the safety of American communities. I am proud to stand with my colleagues to crack down on the penalties for those who break the law and undermine our public safety.”
The FFL Protection Act of 2021:
- Increases the statutory maximum penalty for knowingly stealing any firearm in an FFL’s business inventory from 10 to 20 years.
- Imposes a mandatory minimum sentence of 3 years for burglary from an FFL and 5 years for robbery from an FFL.
- Criminalizes the attempted theft of a firearm from a licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector.
The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Mike Braun (R-IN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), James Risch (R-ID), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
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