Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations Process Yields Wins for the Second Amendment

Friday, May 27, 2016

Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations Process Yields Wins for the Second Amendment

On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year 2017 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill. The bill funds the Departments of Commerce and Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other related agencies. Included in the committee-approved draft were a number of important riders that would protect Second Amendment rights by defunding overreaching or restrictive programs that serve mainly to burden lawful possession of or commerce in firearms. The House bill would make most of these beneficial provisions permanent, meaning they would not have to be reauthorized from year-to-year.

Among the most important of these provisions is one that would prohibit the executive branch from unilaterally implementing the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). America is unique in its respect for the individual right to keep and bear arms. The country’s gun owners have nothing to gain, and much to lose, were the U.S. to embrace international “norms” concerning access to and control of firearms. Meanwhile, in terms of preventing diversion of arms, the ATT is essentially irrelevant. The stable democracies that produce arms in large numbers already have well-established and enforced controls on imports and exports, while opportunistic and rogue nations willing to profit from the illicit arms trade have no intention of complying with the treaty.

Another vital provision would put a stop to the Obama administration’s sweeping executive dictate that licensed dealers in Border States report certain multiple rifle sales to the government. This system of registering gun sales is not prescribed by statute, requires dealers to create an entirely new system of record-keeping, and is easily defeated by illicit purchasers, who can simply purchase multiple guns from different dealers. Meanwhile, it violates the spirit of congressional limits on registration and treats the purchase of perfectly legal firearms by qualified buyers as an inherently suspicious activity.

The bill would also make permanent a provision that for several years has prohibited ATF from enforcing a ban on the import of popular shotguns that are already commonly available in the U.S. Using the infinitely variable and patently unconstitutional “sporting purposes” test, ATF proposed in 2011 to ban the import of shotguns that had any of various supposedly “non-sporting” features. These included such things as folding or telescoping stocks, forward grips, integrated rail systems, “excessive weight” or “bulk,” and “light-enhancing devices.” Putting aside the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court has made clear that defense, not sports, is the core concern of the Second Amendment, ATF used an unreasonably narrow definition of “sports” to come up with its restrictive standards. Popular activities that would use the banned features, including three-gun matches, were dismissed as training or pastimes, rather than sports. Congress wisely stepped in and defunded implementation of the standards, and the bill would make that determination final.

Other provisions would defund dangerous “gun-walking” programs like Fast & Furious that arm drug traffickers for “investigative” purposes; promote the importation of collectible “curio and relic” firearms; and restrain the Obama administration from expanding their gun control footprint any further.

Meanwhile, a bipartisan vote defeated an unfavorable amendment that would have granted the government broad authority to deny firearm purchases on supposed concerns over “terrorism,” but without adequate transparency, due process, or judicial oversight.

The NRA thanks Rep. John Culberson (R-TX), chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on CJS and Related Agencies, for his strong leadership in seeing these pro-gun provisions to the floor.

Spending bills in both chambers of Congress will now move to their respective floors for consideration. While no firm dates have yet been set, further action is expected in June. The NRA strongly urges Congress to adopt the House’s permanent versions of these riders, rather than the annual versions that were included in the Senate bill. The Second Amendment deserves ongoing support on Capitol Hill, not patchwork protection.

 

BY NRA-ILA Staff

TRENDING NOW
Colorado: General Assembly Continues to Follow California's Lead; Semi-Auto Ban Scheduled For Hearing

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Colorado: General Assembly Continues to Follow California's Lead; Semi-Auto Ban Scheduled For Hearing

The Colorado General Assembly continues to follow California's lead when it comes to gun control, this year already pushing for an 11% Excise tax on firearms/ammunition and now pursuing a ban on commonly owned semi-automatic ...

Wisconsin: Legislation Updating the Definition of Muzzloader Signed by Governor Evers

Friday, March 15, 2024

Wisconsin: Legislation Updating the Definition of Muzzloader Signed by Governor Evers

Yesterday, the governor signed Wisconsin Act 116, formally Senate Bill 587, into law. This legislation establishes a new definition for “muzzleloaders” that would allow for the use of innovative technological advancements that could benefit sportsmen, ...

Maine: NRA Fires Back Against Gun Grabbers

Friday, March 15, 2024

Maine: NRA Fires Back Against Gun Grabbers

For months, anti-gun politicians and gun-grabbing groups have been running wild in Augusta, spreading misinformation about firearms in a desperate attempt to pass the most extreme gun-control in the country. The proposals carry the same theme, ...

Delaware: Senate Passes Maryland-Style Permit to Purchase Scheme

Friday, March 15, 2024

Delaware: Senate Passes Maryland-Style Permit to Purchase Scheme

Last night, the Delaware Senate passed Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) by a vote of 15 to 6. This extreme legislation will impose a Maryland-style “handgun qualified purchase card” and a handgun transfer ...

Virginia: More than a Dozen Anti-Gun Bills Sent to the Governor!

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Virginia: More than a Dozen Anti-Gun Bills Sent to the Governor!

The newly elected Virginia General Assembly has prioritized restricting law-abiding citizens' Second Amendment rights and has made good on that priority this session. This year, dozens of anti-gun bills have been considered in both chambers ...

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Introduced in General Assembly

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Introduced in General Assembly

Anti-Gun extremist State Reps. Tim Hernandez (D-04) and Elisabeth Epps (D-06) introduced House Bill 24-1292, a bill banning the manufacturing, importing, purchasing, selling, offering to sell, or transferring ownership of so called “assault weapons”. 

Washington Post’s Somewhat Pro-Gun Column Inadvertently Exposes Problem with Mandatory Storage Laws

News  

Monday, March 11, 2024

Washington Post’s Somewhat Pro-Gun Column Inadvertently Exposes Problem with Mandatory Storage Laws

We generally don’t expect to see the Washington Post say anything positive about firearms or law-abiding gun owners, although there are occasional Op-Eds from pro-Second Amendment lawmakers, unbiased researchers and Constitutional scholars, and the like.

Appropriations Bill Passes with Language Protecting Veterans’ Second Amendment Rights

News  

Monday, March 11, 2024

Appropriations Bill Passes with Language Protecting Veterans’ Second Amendment Rights

Last week, Congress approved a package of legislation to fund various government agencies that corrects a longstanding and shameful practice that had been depriving American veterans of their Second Amendment rights since 1998.

Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes Committee and Hearings Postponed Due to Weather

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes Committee and Hearings Postponed Due to Weather

Today, HB 24-1348 which mandates how firearms must be stored in unattended vehicles, passed out of the House Judiciary Committee and is now eligible for a final vote on the House Floor. Please contact your lawmakers by using the ...

Utah: Governor Cox Signs Legislation Protecting Financial Privacy of Gun Owners!

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Utah: Governor Cox Signs Legislation Protecting Financial Privacy of Gun Owners!

Today, Governor Spencer Cox signed HB 406, legislation that provides important financial privacy protections for gun owners when purchasing firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition. The NRA would like to thank Governor Cox for signing this ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.