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Resolution of Disapproval would overturn the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security’s rule that would permanently extend the current “pause” on firearm export licenses

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) today announced plans to file a Congressional Review Act (CRA) Resolution of Disapproval to block the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) interim final rule. The rule prohibits Americans from exercising their Second Amendment Rights. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fisher (R-Neb.), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) are joining Risch, Crapo, and Hagerty in introducing the resolution of disapproval.

The interim final rule severely restricts the ability of American firearm, ammunition, and related-component manufacturers to obtain a license to export their products for sale. This is an attempt to effectively permanently extend the current “pause” on such export licenses and will rescind approximately 2,000 active export licenses for certain firearms. In addition to being an unlawful, unjustified exercise of regulatory authority, this will have a substantial, negative impact on these American manufacturers, their suppliers, and the jobs they support. 

“The Biden administration will use every method available to restrict Americans’ ability to lawfully purchase or sell firearms,”said Risch. “This export pause will hurt American manufacturers and employers, and it is just another attempt to illegally penalize an industry the left does not support.”

“The Biden Administration continues to seek underhanded methods of advancing its anti-gun agenda,” said Crapo. “This over-regulation unnecessarily harms American businesses and the employees they support.”

“This rule is another Operation Choke Point—a politically motivated effort that significantly harms Tennessee manufacturers—and will consequently destroy U.S. jobs and small businesses that support the firearm and ammunition industry,” said Hagerty.“The Biden Administration has made clear that its goal is to damage the firearm industry that supplies the products that allow Americans to exercise their constitutional freedom. Killing American exports is just a means to strict the legislative process and do damage to yet another Biden-disfavored industry. I’m pleased to lead my colleagues in an effort to overturn this unlawful and unwarranted rule and protect American enterprise.”

Members of the public who would like to comment on this rule can do so here.

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