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Brown and Other Mayors Seek Federal Changes to Curb Illegal Gun Sales

By Kenny Macdonald

Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown returned Wednesday from a meeting in Washington DC with more than 100 mayors from across the nation on the problem of illegal guns.

Brown said the coalition of mayors focused on communities' best-practices and changes in federal law that are needed to crack down on illegal sales. He says the mayors are actively seeking cooperation from Congress to eliminate a federal law which limits the sharing of data that traces a weapon's origins.

"Right now, Congress has put up barriers to us being able to crack down on the sellers of illegal guns," Brown said. "They have made it difficult for local governments to get this trace data."

Brown said the coalition is not targeting most gun sellers and retailers, but wants action taken against the one percent that don't follow the rules.