Lawmakers should give the ATF the tools it needs to fight illegal gun trafficking. They should enact stronger penalties for straw purchases and craft a federal gun-smuggling statute; close the gun-show loophole, which allows buyers under certain circumstances to purchase weapons without a background check; resuscitate the ban on assault weapons; and give the ATF the authority to collect data on multiple sales of long guns in border states. The Senate should move quickly to confirm a director for the long-leaderless bureau." They couldn't even get that gun control crap through when Nancy Pelosi was speaker and Democrats controlled the house by large margins. The chance for it getting through now, or even being allowed to come up for a vote are somewhere to the south end of slim and none.