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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Advocates look to credit card companies to track suspect gun sales
In New York, lawmakers and at least one pension fund are pushing credit card companies to create a category for gun and ammunition2 purchases. They say it could help flag suspicious purchases.
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
A growing number of politicians and advocates for tighter gun regulations aren't just asking for change from the government. They want credit card companies to play a part, too. Samantha Max of member station WNYC explains how.
SAMANTHA MAX, BYLINE3: When you buy something with a credit card, the card company tracks it based on where you made the purchase. That's tagged with a merchant category code. There's one for grocery stores, another for airlines, but not for gun retailers4.
ZELLNOR MYRIE: I think people would be shocked to find that out.
MAX: New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie and more than four dozen other state lawmakers have penned a letter to Mastercard and American Express. They're asking the New York-based credit card companies to support the creation of a new code for gun sellers. Now, the international standards body that sets these codes typically lumps them into a category called miscellaneous with magic stores, silk flower shops and bottled water dealers5.
MYRIE: And I think the public would agree that it's important for us to keep track of these things.
MAX: Federal law already requires financial institutions to report suspicious activity. If credit cards had a separate code for purchases at gun stores, the same laws would let them flag questionable6 purchases there. Legislators say that could ultimately help law enforcement stop crimes like firearms trafficking or even prevent mass shootings, like the one earlier this year in Buffalo7. Here's state assembly member Chantel Jackson.
CHANTEL JACKSON: What we want to do is prevent another Buffalo from happening. We all was sad. We all talked about, you know, the people that we lost. But the truth is, we have to start doing every single thing on every single front to make sure we are combating this.
LAWRENCE KEANE: I don't see how it works. I don't see why it's necessary. And the only reason it's being advanced is for a political gun control agenda.
MAX: Lawrence Keane is with the National Shooting Sports Foundation. He worries the code would lead to credit card companies getting in the way of people's Second Amendment8 rights. Keane notes that buyers are supposed to go through a background check. A recent report found the FBI is so backlogged9 that not all checks are completed. Keane says a seller can also choose not to go through with a transaction if they feel uncomfortable.
KEANE: They're in a better position to make that judgment10 than some computer terminal at some bank or some credit card processor based on some computer code or algorithm.
MAX: Still, Igor Volsky with Guns Down America thinks it's at least worth a try.
IGOR VOLSKY: Different actors in our society have to step up and do what they can to save lives. That extends to the president, to members of Congress and to private companies.
MAX: There's a pending11 application to create a code, with a decision expected as early as this month. California's attorney general and its state teacher's retirement12 system have joined the calls. Dozens of federal Congress members have also sent letters to Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Last week, various officials and gun control advocates gathered in New York's city hall. They said three of its pension systems had decided13 to use their shareholder14 status to push the companies to take action. Attorney General Letitia James urged credit card companies to support their request.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
LETITIA JAMES: If tracking these codes could stop just one mass shooting or derail one gun trafficker aiming to flood the streets with guns, it would be worth it.
MAX: Mastercard says it's looking into how a new code could be implemented15 if it's approved. American Express and Visa did not respond to requests for comment.
For NPR News, I'm Samantha Max in New York.
(SOUNDBITE OF MICHAEL FK'S "INTERFERENCE")
1 transcript | |
n.抄本,誊本,副本,肄业证书 | |
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2 ammunition | |
n.军火,弹药 | |
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3 byline | |
n.署名;v.署名 | |
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4 retailers | |
零售商,零售店( retailer的名词复数 ) | |
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5 dealers | |
n.商人( dealer的名词复数 );贩毒者;毒品贩子;发牌者 | |
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6 questionable | |
adj.可疑的,有问题的 | |
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7 buffalo | |
n.(北美)野牛;(亚洲)水牛 | |
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8 amendment | |
n.改正,修正,改善,修正案 | |
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9 backlogged | |
(使)积压( backlog的过去式和过去分词 ); 储存; (为日后装运而)登账确认(订货) | |
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10 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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11 pending | |
prep.直到,等待…期间;adj.待定的;迫近的 | |
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12 retirement | |
n.退休,退职 | |
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13 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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14 shareholder | |
n.股东,股票持有人 | |
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15 implemented | |
v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 );执行;贯彻;使生效 | |
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