Tester calls on Obama Administration to reject ‘emergency’ gun regulations

Senator urges against ‘one-size-fits-all regulation on law-abiding Americans’

(U.S. SENATE) – Senator Jon Tester today urged the Obama Administration to formally reject a request by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) to issue new gun regulations through “emergency” rulemaking.

BATFE requested new gun restrictions in order to help combat violence on the U.S.-Mexico border.  The Administration’s Office of Management and Budget delayed the request in order to continue gathering public comment.

Tester thanked the Administration for delaying the decision, but renewed his call to reject the request.

“I believe that any proposed expansion to existing authority should be debated in a transparent manner by the Congress, rather than through a closed-door emergency rule-making process,” said Tester, Chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus.  “Implementing a national one-size-fits-all regulation on law-abiding Americans is a poor solution for stopping the violence in Mexico. Now that these proposed new regulations are subject to a full comment period, I expect that many of the responses you receive during the comment period will mirror my concerns.”

Tester, an outspoken advocate for gun rights, led the successful effort in Congress urging the Supreme Court to strengthen gun rights for law-abiding Americans in last year’s landmark McDonald v. Chicago decision.

Tester’s letter to the Office of Management and Budget appears below.

Dear Acting Director Melson and Director Lew:

I write to thank you for your determination that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) should not implement, on an emergency basis, the proposal to expand existing reporting requirements for gun dealers.  However, I remain concerned with many aspects of this rule, and I urge both BATFE and the Office of Management and Budget to listen carefully to public comments received during the ongoing comment period.

I believe that any proposed expansion to existing authority should be debated in a transparent manner by the Congress, rather than through a closed-door emergency rule-making process. Implementing a national one-size-fits-all regulation on law-abiding Americans is a poor solution for stopping the violence in Mexico. Now that these proposed new regulations are subject to a full comment period, I expect that many of the responses you receive during the comment period will mirror my concerns.

The situation along the United States-Mexico border is very serious and requires our full attention.  I appreciate your efforts in addressing the violence, but the priority must be securing the border, not adding burdensome and needless regulations.  We should instead continue taking steps to strengthen the gun rights of law-abiding Americans.

I look forward to working with the BATFE and utilizing the transparent legislative process in order to find common-sense solutions to the issues plaguing our border.