Graham Reintroduces the Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act

WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) reintroduced the Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Protection Act to help address the rapid increase in the number of “smash-and-grab” thefts targeted at federally licensed gun dealers.  

“I am proud to reintroduce this effort to make ‘smash-and-grabs’ more costly for criminals. I believe in responsible gun ownership – not criminals stealing firearms,” said Graham. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has reported a 70 percent increase in the number of FFL burglaries and a 266 percent increase in the number of FFL robberies from 2013 to 2017.  In 2017, 8,129 firearms were taken in FFL burglaries and robberies. In 2018, South Carolina FFLs reported that 193 firearms were stolen during burglaries and robberies. 

The FFL Protection Act:

• 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 also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), James Risch (R-Idaho), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Pat Roberts (R-Kansas), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and David Perdue (R-Georgia).