Kirk Pushing Stiffer Penalties on Gun Trafficking

John Gregory -- Illinois Radio Network

Cracking down on illegal guns flowing into Illinois is the goal of new legislation sponsored by U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.).

Kirk's bill targets both buyers and sellers. It would make it a federal crime for a seller to transfer two or more firearms to someone they may suspect can't legally own a gun, or any buyer to acquire two or more guns if they suspect the transaction is illegal.

Kirk admits passing gun control measures in Congress is always tough.

"Very frustrating, because often times, you're up against the NRA, which is a powerful force in politics, especially in Springfield and Washington," Kirk said. "For me, the critical thing is to stop the ripping apart...of all these families in Chicago. If we can reduce the firepower available to the criminal gangs, (it's) a worthy goal."

If enacted, the punishment for violating the gun trafficking provisions would be 20 years in prison, along with an additional five years for any individual proven to be running a gun trafficking ring.

Similar legislation failed in the Senate in 2013 when Democrats were in the majority.