What is the significance of the federal control act of 1934

Congress found these firearms to pose a significant crime problem because of their frequent use in crime, particularly the gangland crimes of that era such as the St. As structured in , the NFA imposed a duty on persons transferring NFA firearms, as well as mere possessors of unregistered firearms, to register them with the Secretary of the Treasury.

State authorities could then use the information to prosecute the person whose possession violated State laws. The Haynes decision made the Act virtually unenforceable. First, the requirement for possessors of unregistered firearms to register was removed. The Communications Act of set out the basic legal framework for governing communications in the United States, joining the regulation of common carriers and radio broadcasting, which previously had been treated separately.

It established the Federal Communications Commission FCC as an independent government agency to regulate nonfederal government use of the radio spectrum including television and interstate telecommunications via wire and later satellite and cable. Rather than establishing new regulations, the communications act largely incorporated existing legislation. In addressing the issue of common carriers, it drew upon regulations first applied to transportation services, such as railroads in , and in particular the Mann Elkins Act of , which had extended the authority of the Interstate Commerce Commission over communications.

Common carriers, classified as public utilities, are available to everyone at a reasonable price and are not originators of messages or content.

The communications act thus treated telephone services as a utility providing a network of access to people independent of content. Congress viewed this particular monopoly as providing the necessary efficiency for the establishment of national and universal phone service.

Concerning radio, the law largely incorporated the regulations from the Radio Act of , which primarily involved the regulation of frequencies. The new law granted licensees sole control over their frequencies, thus providing for the orderly development of the radio spectrum. Radio communication itself was viewed as a content provider and thus exempted as a common carrier. The law made no provision for a public broadcasting service, and lawmakers rejected a proposal allocating 25 percent of the broadcast spectrum for the use of nonprofit and educational stations.

In lieu of separate educational stations, the law required broadcasters to develop public interest programming and to provide a platform for discussion of controversial issues. Although radio broadcasting is a commercial enterprise, certain of its aspects lend it a public character.

The fairness doctrine evolved from the act as a public service by requiring broadcasters to air programming on controversial topics and to provide equal time to candidates for political office.

Although the act did not permit the FCC to regulate broadcast content itself, it did allow the commission to ban obscene or indecent programming. United States , to regulate relations between networks and affiliates. Based on the need to maintain competition, and in the process promote a broader diversity of viewpoints, the FCC forced NBC to sell its noncommercial Blue Network and also limited broadcast hours. Supreme Court heard the case United States v. Miller, ruling that through the National Firearms Act of , Congress could regulate the interstate selling of a short barrel shotgun.

Following the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Attorney General and U. Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Johnson pushed for the passage of the Gun Control Act of It also loosened regulations on the sale and transfer of ammunition. Brady died in It was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. The law, which amends the GCA, requires that background checks be completed before a gun is purchased from a licensed dealer, manufacturer or importer.

This is known as the assault weapons ban — a temporary prohibition in effect from September of to September of Multiple attempts to renew the ban have failed. Department of Justice Fact Sheet.