First appearance on Fox: Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa has warned gun owners from what critics are calling a crackdown on gun dealers by the Biden administration as part of a larger anti-gun push by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. He has submitted a bill to protect the.
The bill, introduced Tuesday, would “provide firearms licensees with an opportunity to cure statutory, regulatory violations, or other purposes,” and would “allow the Attorney General to revoke or refuse to renew firearms licenses.” “We are unable to initiate the enforcement action we seek.” Violation of the provisions of this chapter or its implementing regulations based on self-reported violations. ”
Mr. Ernst’s claim follows similar claims filed by gun dealers across the country. shouted Hundreds more licenses have been repossessed by Biden’s ATF, with licenses unfairly targeted for political reasons over administrative errors as part of President Biden’s vocal policies to combat gun violence. This suggests that
“We used to make $1 million a year and now we make less than $100,000,” said Anthony Navarro, a gun dealer who has been given three warnings since 2009 and will have his license revoked in 2022. he told the Wall Street Journal. “This policy is designed to be a backdoor breach. Second Amendment. ”
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President Joe Biden speaks at the United Auto Workers Conference at the Marriott Marquis on January 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
Ernst said the bill is intended for the government to work with gun dealers to comply with the law, rather than shut them down.
“Biden’s ATF has been messing with gun owners since day one,” the Iowa Republican senator said in a statement.
“For years, the Biden administration has cracked down on law-abiding gun dealers and even disrupted the livelihoods of small businesses in order to further its gun-trafficking agenda. It has created more legal hurdles than it has helped people comply with the law.” Selling guns turns around and revoke licenses for trivial so-called “violations.” I can do it. While Joe Biden’s ATF has avoided significant scrutiny of FFL abuse for over a year, I am proud to defend law-abiding Iowa gun dealers. ”
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The bill would create a safe space for gun dealers to self-report violations, require ATF to work with gun dealers to correct violations, and allow for direct judicial review of license revocations. It becomes.
“Senator Joni Ernst’s “Firearms” law This would help restore confidence in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to fulfill its mission as a regulatory agency for the manufacture and sale of firearms, rather than being used as a political tool by special interests. ” Lawrence G. Keene, senior vice president and general counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, said in a statement.
“For too long, the firearms and ammunition industry has seen the ATF become the sledgehammer that enforces the extremist policies of anti-gun regimes, often making it the front line in stopping illegal straw purchases of firearms. “ATF enforces the laws to protect our communities. The NSSF is committed to supporting this necessary public trust in our federal agencies.” We are grateful for Sen. Ernst’s leadership in providing relief to repair this.”
A similar bill is being considered in the House by Republican Rep. Darrell Issa.
“From the beginning, this administration has undermined the Second Amendment and targeted law-abiding citizens and family-owned small businesses as part of the legitimate firearms industry,” Issa said in a statement. “He was trying to weaponize federal agencies.” “This is a clearly unwarranted attack on the fundamental rights of our American people, which is why my friend Senator Ernst and I are introducing this bill.” firearms law. It’s time to stop this abuse of power and prevent it from happening again. ”
California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa speaks during a public hearing on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Washington, DC. The Biden administration is considering withdrawing all troops from Afghanistan by May 1, and is counting on President Ashraf Ghani to accelerate the move. He will work on peace negotiations with the Taliban, including supporting the proposal for six-party talks that include Iran. (Ting Sheng/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Last year, 122 gun dealers had their licenses revoked by the ATF, up from 90 the year before and 27 in 2021. The Wall Street Journal reported.
During the Trump and Obama years, the number of revoked licenses never exceeded 81.
“ATF’s core mission is to protect the public from violent crimes, especially crimes involving the use of firearms,” ATF spokeswoman Cristina Mastropasqua told FOX News Digital in a statement. “An important part of this mission is to ensure that Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) comply with applicable federal laws and regulations, particularly the Implementing Regulations of the Gun Control Act of 1968. It is one of the first lines of defense against crime and is often a source of critical enforcement information that helps law enforcement identify straw buyers and thwart illegal gun trafficking schemes. FFLs who break the law endanger public safety.”
ATF agents are continuing to investigate a FedEx facility following the March 20, 2018, explosion in Shirtz, Texas. ((Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images))
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“Therefore, in June 2021, Attorney General Garland announced the Gun Violence Prevention Strategy as part of the Department’s comprehensive strategy to reduce violent crime, which includes: This includes strengthening regulatory enforcement policies aimed at preventing the diversion of firearms from legitimate commerce.”Specifically, unless there are special circumstances, an FFL that, upon inspection, has one or more of the following: The ATF will issue a notice of license revocation if there is a preliminary finding that the license has been intentionally violated. Violations of: (1) transferring a firearm to a prohibited person; (2) failing to perform required background checks; (3) falsifying records, such as firearms transaction forms; (4) failing to respond to an ATF tracing request; (4) failure to respond to ATF trace requests; (5) deny permission for inspection by ATF; ”
The statement continued: “This enhanced regulatory enforcement policy does not change the statutory or regulatory provisions applicable to the FFL revocation process. “We have identified violations of this law, but are limited to the first step of the FFL revocation notification.” Cancellation Process – Issuance of a Notice Whether issued pursuant to the Enhanced Regulatory Enforcement Policy or for other violations of law, a cancellation notice initiates additional procedural rights for FFLs. This includes the right to an administrative hearing and, if applicable, license revocation is not final until the FFL receives notice and an opportunity to respond or waive those protections. It won’t. ”
