U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) has introduced the Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act, a bill aimed at ensuring that federal agencies continue to process firearm applications and licenses during government shutdowns. The legislation seeks to prevent interruptions in gun ownership rights when there is a lapse in appropriations.
“The government shutdown has real impacts on real people, but it certainly should not compromise our constitutional rights. While Democrats pander to their far-Left base, federal agencies have stopped processing firearm applications, unjustly restricting law-abiding Idahoans’ Second Amendment rights,” said Risch. “My Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act ensures our right to lawfully bear arms is not infringed when there is a lapse in appropriations.”
Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) are co-sponsoring the bill.
During past government shutdowns, agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives have suspended most operations related to background checks and licensing applications. This has affected legal gun owners and disrupted firearm sales across the country.
The proposed legislation has received support from several organizations including 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).
“NSSF applauds Senator 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. 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,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel.
“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,” said Knox Williams, President and Executive Director of the American Suppressor Association. “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.”
