Politics

EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Roger Marshall Introduces Legislation Pushing Back On ATF Attacks On 2nd Amendment

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Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
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Republican Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall introduced legislation Thursday that would protect Americans’ second amendment rights from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) proposed registry for firearms with stabilizing braces.

The legislation, first obtained by the Daily Caller, is titled the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act. The bill would specifically remove the taxation, registration, and regulation in the National Firearms Act (NFA) of firearms such as Short Barreled Rifles (SBR), Short-Barreled Shotguns (SBS), and Any Other Weapons (AOW).

“The ATF’s federal gun registry is just the latest proof that the Biden Administration has no understanding of firearms and only seeks to limit American citizens’ ability to rightfully own firearms of their choosing,” Marshall told the Caller before introducing the bill. “Gun control activists disguised as bureaucrats are corrupting the ATF, and my legislation will put a stop at their extremely misguided and incorrect interpretations of the National Firearms Act.”

Republican Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde introduced a similar bill in the House.

READ THE LEGISLATION HERE: 

(DAILY CALLER OBTAINED) — … by Henry Rodgers

“As stewards of the Constitution, Members of Congress cannot allow President Biden to further trample on Americans’ Second Amendment liberties through the continued weaponization of the NFA. By deregulating these NFA firearms, this legislation prohibits the ATF from enacting an unconstitutional pistol ban through a simple rule change — safeguarding the Second Amendment and preventing Americans from being subjected to the Biden Administration’s tyrannical, gun-grabbing tactics. I’m proud to partner with Senator Marshall in leading the fight to protect Americans’ unalienable, constitutional right to keep and bear arms against President Biden’s relentless attacks on law-abiding gun owners,” Clyde told the Caller.

Democrats are currently working on passing legislation that would stop gun trafficking, ban the import, sale, manufacture, transfer or possession of high-capacity magazines, raise the purchase age for certain rifles from 18 to 21 and promote safer storage of guns. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans Demand Answers On Rights Of Americans To Build Silencers)

Other Republicans in the House have are called out the ATF’s denial of applications to develop firearm silencers due to a regulatory change. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: House Judiciary Republicans Demands Answers From ATF Over Increase In Federal Firearm License Revocations)

Under current law, Americans may file a form with ATF and pay a $200 filing fee before they are approved to build their own silencers. Those applications are generally accepted. However, the Bureau recently rejected more than 800 applications to build silencers due to a change in their policy which treats designer kits as the devices themselves. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans Introduce Legislation To Eliminate Federal Excise Tax On Guns, Ammo)

Already developed silencers must be sold by licensed dealers, who must fill out separate forms and pay an extra tax.

“Senator Marshall’s legislation will repeal elements of the archaic National Firearms Act, which the Biden ATF is using to justify their pistol ban and “amnesty registration” plan — a policy change that will affect millions of law-abiding gun owners and do nothing to curb rising crime. GOA is proud to support the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Act, which will protect gun owners and halt these anti-gun infringements,” Gun Owners of America’s Director of Federal Affairs Aidan Johnston said in a statement.

The bill also picked up support from the National Rifle Association (NRA).

“Sen. Marshall’s bill protects the right of law-abiding Americans to choose the firearm that best suits their individual needs without fear of punitive taxes, needless registration, or arbitrary reinterpretations of settled law. The NRA applauds his leadership in introducing these logical and much-needed reforms,” National Rifle Association-Institute for Legislative Affairs Executive Director Jason Ouimet said in a statement.