I think that's the real issue because that's what they wanted [trace data] for and that's exactly what the bill prohibits. It's about bringing suits against gun dealers and trying to shut them down that way.

That assumes that trace data is meaningful in indicating that [firearms] dealers are involved in selling guns that are used in crimes. And the problem with that is that the trace data does not include all guns used in crimes, that is to say, not all trace guns are 'crime guns' and not all 'crime guns' are traced.

It's a data issue, and I don't know where it rests, ... I'm very frustrated by it.

People like to trace their ancestry.

Even if there were straw sales, straw man sales being made from dealers, that doesn't prove that the dealer was doing anything wrong. There's no evidence from tracing, because of the problems with tracing, that dealers are selling guns unlawfully. The trace couldn't indicate that and, in fact, doesn't indicate that.

I think the unique thing here is that we were able to trace it.