Lawmakers Unveil Plans to Block New Restrictions on Firearms Exports

Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., and Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., announced separate legislative proposals last week that would block the Bureau of Industry and Security’s new interim final rule restricting firearms exports.

Hagerty said he intends to introduce a resolution of disapproval that would overturn the regulations. Green introduced a bill that would prohibit federal funds from being used to finalize, implement or enforce the rule.

In addition to infringing on Second Amendment gun rights, Hagerty said, the regulations will rescind about 2,000 active export licenses for firearms, hurting American manufacturers of firearms, ammunition and related components. "I’m pleased to lead my colleagues in an effort to overturn this unlawful and unwarranted rule and protect American enterprise," he said.

Hagerty's legislation has 10 Republican co-sponsors, while Green’s has 11 Republican co-sponsors. Green's bill, the Stop the Bureaucratic Ineptitude Shuttering Respectable and Upstanding Lawful Exporters Act (Stop the BIS RULE Act), was referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

BIS released the rule April 26, saying it's designed to reduce the risk that firearms end up in the hands of criminals, terrorists or cartels (see 2404260054). The rule will create a “presumption of denial” for firearms export licenses for 36 countries in which there is a “substantial risk” of diversion or misuse. All existing previously approved firearms export licenses for those countries will be revoked. The rule will also reduce the duration of most firearms export licenses from four years to one.

Public comments on the regulations are due July 1.