U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) introduced a bill Wednesday that would ensure the Department of Commerce follows the typical rulemaking procedure prior to any decision-making under Section 553 of the U.S. Code.
President Biden has made trampling on the Second Amendment a favorite pastime. I won’t let that stand.
My Protect American Gun Exporters Act stops the administration’s ridiculous restriction on civilian firearm export licenses.
MORE:https://t.co/rW3UItg5xb pic.twitter.com/0dMC6v2Kve
— Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) November 29, 2023
On October 27, the Department of Commerce announced an immediate pause on commercial firearm exports without prior notice.
Green’s Protect American Gun Exporters Act, if enacted, would stop the current export license pause and prevent the Department of Commerce from “taking any substantially similar actions in the future unless standard rulemaking procedures are followed.”
“This pause leaves people vulnerable while directly hurting firearm manufacturing and shipping jobs,” Green said. “The Biden administration’s far-reaching and downright reckless restriction on civilian firearm export licenses clearly showcases their antipathy for the Second Amendment. That’s where my bill comes in. It stops the export license pause and solidifies concrete steps the Department of Commerce must take if it wants to implement similar policies in the future.”
Section 553 of the U.S. Code establishes basic requirements that govern all federal agencies’ rulemaking, including notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register, followed by an opportunity for some level of participation by interested persons, and publication of the rule before it becomes effective.
The Tennessee congressman’s bill would also ensure the Department of Commerce rules are subject to the Congressional Review Act.
“My bill prevents additional hypocritical and broad restrictions on firearm export licenses. Pausing the issuance of export licenses for firearms, related components, and ammunition penalizes law-abiding civilians while handing criminal actors a monopoly on force. The Biden administration cannot continue trampling on the Second Amendment and crippling the American firearm industry. My bill aims to right this wrong and prevent future arbitrary attacks on law-abiding American business owners,” Green added.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Mark Green” by Mark Green.
