Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act

Floor Speech

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I rise with an amendment to limit unnecessary burdens on firearm owners and law enforcement officers.

The Second Amendment's intent is clear: firearm ownership ``shall not be infringed.'' However, the ATF has proposed a rule requiring an additional layer of approval from local law enforcement officers to purchase suppressors and other firearms regulated by the National Firearms Act. This rule broadly expands existing requirements and further burdens local law enforcement officers who are already overworked and understaffed.

The ATF knows full well that there are cities and jurisdictions that refuse to give approval for political reasons.

Action films are fun to watch, but they are wrong about suppressors. Suppressors dampen the sound of a firearm, but do not make guns silent. They simply are a form of hearing protection for the shooter, for other human beings, and for any hunting dogs that are around.

Suppressors increase safety while shooting, allow people to easily hear and react to range safety instructions and to other sportsmen.

My amendment ensures Americans' rights are protected and does not eliminate background checks. It will protect suppressor suppliers; manufacturers; tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue; thousands of jobs nationwide; and, more importantly, the Second Amendment rights of a law-abiding gunowner.

I urge support for this commonsense provision, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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If the gentleman will yield, those numbers could be accurate. I cannot contest those numbers.

However, it has been made absolutely clear, both by target shooters and by hunters, that suppressors make for a more accurate weapon, less damage on the shooter, less damage on the people and animals around the shooter, a better ability to be safe with your fellow hunters.

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Because an application was made doesn't necessarily mean that the law enforcement people dealt with it and approved that application. Now, if you are telling me these are 90,000 approved applications, I understand your argument.

One of the issues seems to be finding a law enforcement agency in the modern society we live in that actually has some knowledge of the individual that is making the request and is willing to process it.

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