Sessions: Prosecute gun buyers who lie on fed checks

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Monday that U.S. attorneys will more aggressively enforce the law that makes it a crime for gun buyers to lie on their federal background checks, one of several steps Justice Department officials outlined as part of the Trump administration’s response to last month’s deadly school shooting in Parkland, Fla.

The Justice Department also will increase the presence of law enforcement officers at schools and continue to review the way law enforcement agencies respond to tips from the public, Mr. Sessions said.

“No child should have to fear going to school or walking the streets of their neighborhood,” Mr. Sessions said in a statement.

Lying on a federal background check when purchasing a firearm is a felony that can be punished by up to five years in prison, but the crime is rarely prosecuted, according to current and former Justice Department officials. Mr. Sessions ordered federal prosecutors to “swiftly and aggressively” prosecute cases against people who are prohibited from having firearms and lie on a federal form to pass the background check.

The announcement comes nearly a month after the massacre that left 17 dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and as President Donald Trump’s administration rolls out policy proposals that focus largely on school safety and mental health rather than gun control. The White House announced Sunday that it would help providefirearms training to some schoolteachers and establish a Federal Commission on School Safety to be chaired by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

Neither the Justice Department initiatives nor Mr. Trump’s plan contain significant proposals to change gun laws. Instead, Mr. Sessions’ actions enhance existing programs and call for more aggressively enforcing current law. The White House has also backed away from Mr. Trump’s initial call to raise the minimum aged 18 to 21 years old.