(JUNEAU) - The privacy of law-abiding citizens received a boost late Friday night with the House voting unanimously to pass Senate Joint Resolution 5.

SJR 5 urges the President and Congress to ensure that federal agencies do not retain records of legitimate firearm owners. The United States Congress passed the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act in 1993 to prevent individuals with criminal backgrounds from obtaining firearms. The original bill clearly stated that records of those who can lawfully own a firearm would be destroyed immediately.

"The Clinton administration's novel interpretation of the Brady bill authorized federal agencies, such as the FBI, to database any American that files for gun ownership," said resolution sponsor Sen. Tom Wagoner (R-Kenai/Soldotna). "This is a violation of both the letter and spirit of the original Act and an abhorrent privacy invasion of law abiding Americans."

With the unanimous support of SJR 5 from both bodies of the Alaska State Legislature, Senator Wagoner hopes the President and Congress will receive this message and act upon it.

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