Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a news conference with a coalition of members of Congress, mayors, law enforcement officers, gun safety organizations and other groups on Capitol Hill in Washington to introduce legislation on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition feeding devices, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a news conference with a coalition of members of Congress, mayors, law enforcement officers, gun safety organizations and other groups on Capitol Hill in Washington to introduce legislation on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition feeding devices, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Officials: Maze of laws hurts gun-control efforts
WASHINGTON (
AP) — There is a legal avenue to try to get any gun you want somewhere in the U.S., thanks to the maze of gun statutes across the country and the lack of certain federal laws.
That undermines gun-control efforts in communities with tougher gun laws — and pushes advocates of tighter controls to seek a federal standard.
Gun rights proponents say enforcing all existing laws makes more sense than passing new ones.
An Associated Press analysis found that there are thousands of laws, rules and regulations at the local, county, state and federal levels.
A 2011 compilation of state gun laws by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives shows that laws and rules vary by state, and even within states.
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federal bureau of investigation, united states congress, recreation, united states, criminal justice, human rights, gun, firearm, law, laws, associated press, associated press analysis, tighter controls, gun laws, tougher gun laws, legal avenue, gun-control efforts, gun rights proponents, state gun laws, certain federal laws, gun statutes
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