PA Bill Number: HR541
Title: Recognizing the month of October 2024 as "Domestic Violence Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
Description: A Resolution recognizing the month of October 2024 as "Domestic Violence Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
Last Action:
Last Action Date: Sep 27, 2024
Trump ATF poised to weaken gun regs :: 02/11/2017
A white paper recently out from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives suggests that the agency is ready to support legislative reforms to potions of the National Firearms Act.
In a move that could signal the 2nd Amendment renaissance many conservatives hoped for under the Trump administration, top ATF officials are urging a new look at regulations on firearm suppressors and import bans and regulations for certain firearms.
The recently-released white paper, authored by ATF second-in-command Ronald Turk, says the agency is interested in reforms that promote commerce and defend the Second Amendment without significant negative impact on ATF’s mission to fight violent firearms crime and regulate the firearms industry.”
Firearm suppressor regulations, Turk argued, cost the agency more than $1 million a year in overtime pay and occupy the time of 30 full-time employees despite a “lack of criminality.”
From the white paper:
In the past several years, opinions about silencers have changed across the United States. Their use to reduce noise at shooting ranges and applications within the sporting and hunting industry are now well recognized. At present, 42 states generally allow silencers to be used for sporting purposes. The wide acceptance of silencers and corresponding changes in state laws have created substantial demand across the country. This surge in demand has caused ATF to have a significant backlog on silencer applications. ATF’s processing time is now approximately eight months.
The ATF had its change of heart with regard to silencers just as Congress is moving legislation aimed at removing regulations on the firearm accessories to protect American sportsmen’s hearing.
Turk further argued for an end to the use of the misleading “assault weapons” term to describe AK-and-AR-style rifles which he correctly noted “are now standard for hunting activities.” According to the document, it would be more accurate to refer to them as “modern sporting rifles.”
The ATF official also argued in favor of changes in policy for the import of WWII-era military weapons:
Joint effort from the administration, State Department, and ATF could easily reverse past decisions and allow for the safe and legal importation and sale of these historical and collectible items. Many M1 Garand rifles have been approved for importation in the past, setting precedence for this to occur. The more recent denials were in part due to perceived potential that they may be used in crimes, for which there is little, if any, evidence for such a concern.
The ATF’s suggestions are being championed by gun rights activists and, unsurprisingly, equally derided by the anti-gun left.
But with a GOP-controlled Congress and a presidential administration that claims support for the 2nd Amendment, there’s no reason that Americans’ right to bear arms shouldn’t strengthen in the years ahead.
Sam Rolley began a career in journalism working for a small town newspaper while seeking a B.A. in English. After covering community news and politics, Rolley took a position at Personal Liberty Media Group where could better hone his focus on his true passions: national politics and liberty issues. In his daily columns and reports, Rolley works to help readers understand which lies are perpetuated by the mainstream media and to stay on top of issues ignored by more conventional media outlets.
https://personalliberty.com/trump-atf-poised-weaken-gun-regs/
