GOP Lawmakers Ask Commerce Dept. to End Biden-Era Curbs on Gun Exports
Nearly 90 Republican lawmakers urged the Commerce Department March 5 to rescind a Biden administration interim final rule (IFR) restricting firearms exports, saying the controls hurt American businesses.
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“This misguided and destructive IFR is costing the American firearms industry nearly $500 million annually while doing nothing to advance U.S. interests or regional stability,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. "Despite numerous attempts to rein in these actions through letters, legislation, hearings, markups, and oversight, the Biden [Bureau of Industry and Security] ignored Congress and used the IFR to advance the Biden administration’s anti-firearms agenda."
The letter, which was obtained by Export Compliance Daily, notes that President Donald Trump’s Feb. 7 executive order on gun rights directs his administration to review and remediate agency actions involving the “processing of applications to make, manufacture, transfer, or export firearms.” When the Senate Commerce Committee recently considered Lutnick's nomination to lead Commerce, Lutnick told the panel that he planned to review the BIS rule (see 2502050048).
The letter was led by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn. It was co-signed by 86 senators and representatives, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. Lee and Green introduced legislation in the last Congress to block implementation of the rule (see 2406100048).
The rule, released in April, is intended to reduce the risk that firearms end up in the hands of criminals, terrorists or cartels (see 2404260054). It created a “presumption of denial” for firearm export licenses for 36 countries in which there is a “substantial risk” of diversion or misuse.