Daines Demands Answers On Second Amendment Infringement
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., is leading a group of 25 senators in demanding the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives provide answers on recent actions to infringe on Americans’ Second Amendment rights by preventing law-abiding citizens from creating and owning suppressors.
In a letter to the ATF, the senators wrote, “These continued assaults of the Second Amendment threaten law-abiding Americans’ rights as they try to follow ATF guidance on making these parts. We request that the ATF provide us answers on why they are rejecting legal applications and denying law abiding citizens access to their Second Amendment right. The ATF was not established to interfere with a basic right afforded to every American.”
Sens. Jim Inhofe (Okla.), Mike Crapo (Idaho), Jim Risch (Idaho), Mike Lee (Utah), Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.), James Lankford (Okla.), John Boozman (Ark.), Roger Marshall (Kan.), Kevin Cramer (N.D.), John Hoeven (S.D.), Mike Braun (Ind.), Todd Young (Ind.), Ted Cruz (Texas), Thom Tillis (N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (W. Va.), John Barrasso (Wyo.), Richard Burr (N.C.), John Cornyn (Texas), Rand Paul (Ky.), Ben Sasse (Neb.), John Thune (S.D.), Tommy Tuberville (Ala.), Tim Scott (S.C.), Deb Fischer (Neb.) and Bill Hagerty (Tenn.) joined Daines in sending the letter.
“The mass denial of ATF Form 1 applications is a direct infringement against the Second Amendment rights of hundreds — maybe thousands — of law-abiding Americans seeking to work within ATF’s own longstanding rules regarding the home manufacture of suppressors. We appreciate Sen. Daines’ effort to make sure the government isn’t changing the rulebook to subvert the rights of applicants who are seeking approval in good faith,” said Jason Ouimet, executive director of NRA-ILA.
“As if the National Firearms Act wasn’t enough of an infringement, ATF’s denial of American’s right to manufacture NFA firearms — which is explicitly provided for under federal law — reveals the agency’s true intent is to restrict the Second Amendment rights of the People. GOA is thankful for the Senators demanding accountability from ATF for the illegal denial of gun owners’ Form 1 applications,” said Aidan Johnston, director of federal affairs for Gun Owners of America.
