Press Release: Risch, Crapo, Braun Introduce Bill to Hold ATF Accountable, Give Certainty to Gun Owners and Manufacturers
By Press Release • December 20, 2023The following press release was sent out by the office of US Senator for Idaho Jim Risch. Press releases do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of those at the Idaho Dispatch.
WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) introduced the ATF Accountability Act, which would provide transparency to gun owners across America on rules made by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The ATF engages in a secretive classification review process where the agency decides whether a particular firearm is regulated by the National Firearms Act and refuses to make final public rules regarding classification. The ATF’s lack of transparency creates significant uncertainty for both gun-owning Americans and firearm manufacturers.
“The ATF’s ability to designate firearms behind closed doors puts law abiding gun owners and firearms manufacturers in a difficult and sometimes impossible situation,” said Risch. “The ATF Accountability Act will stop the agency’s secretive classification process, create accountability, and empower gun owners and manufacturers to appeal rulings.”
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“Increasing transparent review and an appeals process for rulings and determinations made by the ATF would ensure that firearms manufacturers and lawful gun owners are not subject to unchecked bureaucratic rulings,” said Crapo. “Burdening law-abiding citizens of this country with additional gun restrictions is not the answer to safeguarding the public.”
“American gun owners and manufacturers have been left in the dark for far too long with closed-door rule changes by the ATF,” said Braun. “Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights shouldn’t be the last to know the classification status of firearms, or what licenses or tax stamps they need to avoid running afoul of the law. The ATF needs accountability and transparency, which this bill accomplishes.”
The ATF Accountability Act:
- Creates an appeals process following a ruling by ATF with specific regular timeframes; and
- Permits gun manufacturers to appeal the legal status or classification of any product by filing with the Director of Industry Operations with jurisdiction. After which, the appeal is directed to an administrative law judge.
Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-S.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) cosponsored the legislation.
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Tags: ATF Accountability Act, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Gun Owners, Gun Restrictions, James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), John Hoeven (R-S.D.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), National Firearms Act, Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Second Amendment, Steve Daines (R-Mont.)
First of all, stunning (said no one ever) that there is a total lack of “D’s” in parentheses behind all the listed co-sponsors of this Act.
It’s a start, I suppose, but I’d prefer a bill that would abolish and re-define the parameters that the ATF could operate under…or just abolish the ATF altogether. They’ve clearly shown an ever-increasing thirst (very much like the I.R.S.) for power and control at the expense of transparency and accountability.
Time for that to change…
I propose a different bill. We just defund the entirety of the ATF. Done.
☝️☝️This right here is the answer!
Our politicians, government employed and the military are the enemy that is bankrupting and destroying this nation .There needs to be a major shrink of the governments size. We need to raise the voting age to 27 years old. Ban welfare recipients and the government employed from voting and only allow property owners the reign to vote.
That would take a congress with a backbone and the GOP doesn’t have one.
Who needs Congress when we have the ATF. Maybe they should be our fourth body of government.