Obama administration retreats from AR-15 ammo ban
After strong public outcry, the Obama administration is backing down on a proposal to ban a bullet commonly used in AR-15 hunting rifles as the ATF is responding and President Obama has been silent on a possible executive order.
In a statement directed to some 80,000 people who commented on the proposed regulation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said it was not moving forward with the ban on the M855 ammunition.
“Although ATF endeavored to create a proposal that reflected a good faith interpretation of the law and balanced the interests of law enforcement, industry and sportsmen, the vast majority of the comments received to date are critical of the framework and include issues that deserve further study. Accordingly, ATF will not at this time seek to issue a final framework,” the bureau wrote.
ATF made the decision to drop the proposal even though there was still nearly a week remaining for public comment. ATF said that it had already received more than 80,000 comments that were mostly negative.
Sens. John Boozman, R-Ark., issued a statement Thursday thanking citizens who commented for helping to keep the ammunition available to gun owners.
“Thanks to thousands of Arkansans who voiced their concerns about ATF’s proposal threatening our Second Amendment, the agency shelved its misguided framework,” Boozman said. “The agency responded to their direct pressure, as well as Congressional pressure we applied on their behalf, and hopefully realized this proposal would violate the rights of law-abiding gun owners across the nation.”
Boozman and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., also said they would continue to push back against future efforts that they believe infringe on Second Amendment gun rights.
“I am pleased with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ decision not to pursue a proposed ban at this time, but rest assured I will remain a vigilant defender of Arkansans’ Second Amendment rights,” Cotton said.
“In the event ATF tries to pursue this again, I will continue to push back and prevent the erosion of our Second Amendment,” Boozman said.
The 5.56mm projectiles for M855 cartridges have been in use for a long time, but ATF had argued for a ban on the sale and manufacturing of the ammunition because it can be used in certain handguns that pose a danger to police officers.
Boozman and Cotton, sent a letter Monday to ATF Director B. Todd Jones expressing their opposition to the proposal.
“If law-abiding gun owners cannot obtain rifle ammunition, or face substantial difficulty in finding ammunition available and at reasonable prices because government entities are banning such ammunition, then the Second Amendment is at risk,” they wrote.
The letter, spearheaded by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, was signed by 53 Senate Republicans.
[…] about a February 2015 proposal to ban common AR-15 M855 “green tip” ammunition. ATF pulled the proposal after pressure from Congress and because the vast majority of comments were against the […]