HYDE-SMITH TAKES DOUBLE-BARRELED AIM AT ATF PISTOL BRACE RULE
Cosponsors Two Measures to Overturn Rule that Subjects More Firearms to Unconstitutional Registry, Tax & Regulations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today took double-barreled aim at a Biden administration rule that will subject millions of law-abiding firearm owners to registration, taxation, and regulation requirements that violate their constitutional Second Amendment rights.
Hyde-Smith is an original cosponsor of the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act (S.163) legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.) to overturn the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) final rule for firearms with stabilizing braces. Hyde-Smith is also cosponsoring a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval offered by U.S. John Kennedy (R-La.) to prevent the ATF rule from taking effect.
“President Biden and his administration are trying every which way to impose unconstitutional gun control on law-abiding firearm owners. The ATF rule to reclassify many commonly-owned pistols and subject them to burdensome regulation, taxation, and registration is an affront to our constitutional Second Amendment rights. This needs to stop, which is just what the SHORT Act would do,” Hyde-Smith said.
S.163 would remove National Firearms Act (NFA) taxation, registration, and regulation requirements for firearms such as short barreled rifles, short barreled shotguns, and any other weapons. Kennedy’s CRA allows Congress to use expedited procedures to try to stop the ATF pistol brace rule. Its passage would only require a simple majority vote.
The Biden administration based the ATF rule on NFA provisions regarding short-barreled firearms. Under the rule that went into effect Tuesday, people who own pistols with stabilizing braces are now considered to possess short barreled rifles and subject to enhanced regulation.
The rule establishes a 120-day “Amnesty Registration of Pistol Brace weapons” period for manufacturers, dealers, and individuals to register firearms that have a stabilizing brace. Rather than register with the ATF, owners could also remove the stabilizing brace, surrender the firearm to ATF, or destroy it. After the 120-day period, gun owners would be required to pay hundreds of dollars per firearm to register firearms with stabilizing braces.
The rule could allow the Biden administration to register, tax, and regulate an estimated 40 million lawfully-purchased pistols, according to a 2021 Congressional Research Service report.
In June 2021, Hyde-Smith was among 48 Republicans who signed a letter stating their vehement opposition to the rule, which the ATF estimates will immediately affect five stabilizing braces manufacturers, almost 4,000 firearm manufacturers that include stabilizing brace attachments, 13,210 firearm dealers, and 1.4 million firearm owners.
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