With the government shutdown now a month old, a bill recently introduced in the U.S. Senate is designed to protect Second Amendment rights during just such a shutdown.
On October 30, U.S. Sen. Jay Risch, R-Idaho, introduced the Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act, which would require federal agencies to continue processing firearm applications and licenses despite a lapse in appropriations.
During government shutdowns, federal agencies are limited in the work they can conduct. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) have halted most operations associated with the background checks and licensing applications due to the shutdown, impacting law-abiding gun owners and disrupting firearm sales nationwide.
“The government shutdown has real impacts on real people, but it certainly should not compromise our constitutional rights,” Risch said in a news release announcing the measure. “While Democrats pander to their far-Left base, federal agencies have stopped processing firearm applications, unjustly restricting law-abiding Idahoans’ Second Amendment rights. My Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act ensures our right to lawfully bear arms is not infringed when there is a lapse in appropriations.”
Risch is joined by Republican U.S. Senators Mike Crapo of Idaho, Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice of West Virginia, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy of Montana, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, James Lankford of Oklahoma and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska. The measure has garnered the support of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), American Suppressor Association (ASA), Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), Gun Owners of America (GOA) and National Rifle Association (NRA).
Lawrence G. Keane, senior vice president and general counsel for the NSSF, said his organization is thankful Sen. Risch introduced the bill.
“NSSF applauds Sen. Jim Risch for his leadership on the Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act to ensure the firearm industry can continue to fully serve law-abiding Americans during government shutdowns,” Keane said. “Their Second Amendment rights, and the constitutionally protected firearm commerce that makes the exercise of those rights possible, must not be held hostage by Congress’s inability to keep the federal government open.”
Knox Williams, President and Executive Director of the American Suppressor Association, said his organization also welcomed the measure’s introduction.
“We applaud Congressman Cline and Senator Risch for standing up for millions of law-abiding gun owners and defending Second Amendment rights in the midst of the Democrat-led government shutdown,” Williams said. “The Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act would codify in statute that, while the unconstitutional NFA registry remains in place, government shutdowns cannot be used to punish gunowners. For too long, lawful firearm and suppressor owners have faced unnecessary delays and uncertainty every time Washington fails to do its job. The American Suppressor Association helped lead the fight to get NFA inspectors back to work during the shutdown, and we stand firmly behind this critical legislation to protect and preserve Americans’ Second Amendment rights.”
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