WASHINGTON - July 25 - If you're a cop on the beat, you should know that lawmakers in Congress have you targeted this week. They're going to try to pass multiple bills that threaten to make your life more dangerous.

One bill would prohibit police from disarming potential looters or armed robbers after a natural disaster. Another would make it terrifically difficult to stop gun trafficking. Another would enable the most reckless gun pushers to sell dozens of handguns to a single buyer without notifying the police.

All seem certain to pass.

"I believe that the legislation Congress wants to pass is contrary to the needs of our police," said Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. "I am deeply concerned that criminal investigations and public safety will be put at risk by these bills."

The bills up for consideration are summarized below. The first passed the full House Tuesday. The others are scheduled to be approved by the House Judiciary Committee today.

H.R. 5013: "DISASTER RECOVERY PERSONAL PROTECTION ACT" -– This bill would prohibit law enforcement, relief organizations, and anyone else receiving Federal funds, while acting in support of relief from a major disaster or emergency, from prohibiting the possession of firearms or taking abandoned firearms for safekeeping, unless specifically allowed by federal or state law. The bill would void most local laws, during an emergency, that prohibit possession of assault weapons or other firearms. It would prevent police and private entities from restricting the carrying of firearms in emergency shelters or evacuation vehicles unless federal or state law already bans weapons in these areas. For example, federal and many state laws do not ban gun possession in community centers, on buses, or in relief organizations' offices, so police and relief groups would be required to allow loaded firearms into these areas in an emergency.

Congressional Research Service summary: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR05013:@@@D&summ2=m&.

HR 5092: "BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS, AND EXPLOSIVES (BATFE) MODERNIZATION AND REFORM ACT OF 2006" -– This legislation places severe restraints on ATF's ability to prosecute gun dealers or traffickers or revoke licenses from dealers who break the law. H.R. 5092 would require that ATF prove that a lawbreaker not only knew of the requirements of the law and broke the law, but also specifically intended to violate the law. The bill also protects criminals and traffickers from having their names disclosed to the public, and allows dealers who violate gun laws to keep selling guns for two months after their license is revoked or expires, and evade closure by transferring their business to friends or family.

Congressional Research Service Summary: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR05092:@@@D&summ2=m&

HR 5005 Firearms Corrections and Improvements Act -– This bill prevents the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) from releasing to the public crime gun trace data linking illegal guns to high-risk dealers. It would make it a crime for law enforcement to share crime gun trace data with each other, and it would eliminate the requirement that dealers notify state and local law enforcement when they sell multiple handguns -– more than two guns within five days – to one purchaser. The bill is opposed by Major Cities Chiefs, the Police Foundation, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, and the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association.

Congressional Research Service Summary: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR05005:@@@D&summ2=m&

HR 1384 "FIREARM COMMERCE MODERNIZATION ACT" -– The bill would create huge Brady law loopholes by allowing sales of handguns to individuals who aren't state residents. Such a change would ease the job of professional gun traffickers by eliminating the need for traffickers to find an in-state straw purchaser and allowing them to more readily do business with dealers they know aid and abet trafficking.

Congressional Research Service Summary: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR01384:@@@D&summ2=m&

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