[This is ATF's official response dated December 8, 1999, to Larson's August 22, 1999, letter to President Clinton regarding serious errors in the NFRTR. Larson responded by referring ATF to his December 4, 1999, letter to Director Magaw. Larson was responding to Director Magaw's November 19, 1999, letter. Since this latter correspondence appears elsewhere on this page, it will not be repeated here. Larson's response to the December 8, 1999, letter was sent to President Clinton; the Honorable Jim Kolbe, Chairman, House Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations; the Honorable Dan Burton, Chairman, House Committee on Government Reform; and the Honorable Orrin G. Hatch, Chairman, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, in addition to the Honorable Henry J. Hyde, Chairman, House Committee on the Judiciary.] DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS WASHINGTON, D.C. 20226 DEC 8 1999 Mr. Eric M. Larson P.O. Box 5497 Takoma Park, Maryland 20913 Dear Mr. Larson: This is in response to your letter of August 22, 1999, to President Clinton regarding your contentions about the accuracy of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record and your proposal for another amnesty period. Your letter was referred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) for response. Your allegations concerning the reports recently issued by the Office of the Inspector General covering ATF's administration of the National Firearms Act were addressed in the enclosed ATF letter sent to you on November 19, 1999. Sincerely yours, (signed---Jimmy Wooten) Jimmy Wooten Assistant Director Firearms, Explosives and Arson Enclosure ------------------------------ Eric M. Larson P.O. Box 5497 Takoma Park, Maryland 20913 (301) 270-3450 larsone@erols.com December 15, 1999 The Honorable Henry J. Hyde, Chairman House Committee on the Judiciary House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Chairman Hyde: This letter regards my serious concern that a federal law enforcement agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has disregarded 1998 recommendations by the Treasury Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) to correct errors in its firearm registration data base. These errors, the OIG determined, have resulted from the fact that more than 100,000 firearms such as machine guns, hand grenades, sawed-off shotguns, land mines and similar items are currently registered to persons whom ATF has stated are dead. ATF has further disregarded other indications of other serious errors in its firearmm registration data base whch the OIG identified in the course of conducting two audits at the request of the Honorable Dan Burton, Chairman, House Committee on Government Reform. I am further writing to respectfully suggest that you consider encouraging ATF to implement the OIG's recommendations. I have enclosed copies of recent correspondence with ATF regarding this matter, which makes it clear ATF has attempted to characterize its firearm registration data base as accurate and reliable, and that the OIG reaches an opposite conclusion. Thank you. Sincerely, (signed---Eric M. Larson) Enclosures ----- Eric M. Larson P.O. Box 5497 Takoma Park, Maryland 20913 (301) 270-3450 larsone@erols.com December 15, 1999 Mr. Jimmy Wooten Assistant Director Firearms, Explosives and Arson Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 650 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20226 Dear Mr. Wooten: This is in response to your letter of December 8, 1999, regarding my letter of August 22, 1999, to President Clinton regarding serious inaccuracies in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR), based on the recent Treasury Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports, and my proposal for another amnesty period. Your letter states that Director Magaw's letter to me dated November 19, 1999, responds to "allegations" I made in my August 22, 1999, letter concerning the (OIG) reports on its audits of the NFRTR, and ATF's administrative practices. Your characterization of my August 22, 1999, letter is incorrect. The reason is that I did not make any allegations regarding the OIG reports. Rather, I simply reported what the OIG stated in its reports; namely, that there are specific indications from its audit work that the NFRTR may not be accurate and reliable. I reiterated the OIG's findings concerning the NFRTR data base in my December 4, 1999, letter to Director Magaw. It is possible that you may not be aware of this letter, so I am enclosing a copy of it for your convenience of reference. I have nothing to add to this letter, which directly responds to Director Magaw's statements, and specifically quotes or summarizes the relevant OIG findings. Sincerely, (signed---Eric M. Larson) cc: The Honorable Jim Kolbe, Chairman, House Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations The Honorable Dan Burton, Chairman, House Committee on Government Reform