WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, takes exception with President Joe Biden’s Executive Order to increase gun control measures. In the name of “doing something,” the Biden administration is chilling fundamental Constitutional rights and simply rehashing existing laws, many of which were previously supported by the firearm industry.
“The Biden administration should demand that soft-on-crime prosecutors and lawmakers use the laws already in existence to lock up criminals that misuse firearms to prey on innocent Americans,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President, and General Counsel. “Instead, this administration continues to scapegoat the firearm industry for its unwillingness to address crime. The failure of this administration to seriously address spiraling crime and instead focus its attacks on a Constitutionally-protected industry that works diligently to remain in compliance with laws and regulations and actively cooperates with law enforcement, especially ATF, exposes the lack of urgency Americans’ demand to curb rampant and out-of-control crime.”
The firearm industry worked with Congress to update the statutory definition of “in the business” in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was passed last year and signed into law by President Biden. The update defined those Americans “in the business” of selling firearms as those “predominantly earning a profit.”
Further, The White House accused industry members, without evidence, of selling firearms without required FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) verifications. This is disingenuous, at best. The firearm industry was the progenitor of the point-of-sale instant background check to ensure firearms are sold only to those the law has determined can be trusted to possess a firearm. The firearm industry has been on the leading edge to improve the quality of the FBI’s NICS, including supporting the FIX NICS Act of 2017 that incentivized states and required federal agencies to submit all disqualifying background information to the FBI to ensure prohibited individuals are barred from purchasing firearms. NSSF supports increasing the submission of disqualifying records to FBI NICS but rejects the Biden administration’s demand to move closer to universal background checks, which will not work without a national firearm registry, which is forbidden by federal law.
The firearm industry has also been consistently addressing compliance with federal regulations to report the loss or theft of firearms during shipping. NSSF has repeatedly held compliance seminars with members of the firearm industry and common carriers to be aware of and remain in compliance with reporting requirements when firearms go missing during shipping. NSSF has led this effort to ensure firearms are accounted for during transit from manufacturer to distributor to retailer and finally to retail sale.
NSSF welcomes the Biden administration’s renewed attention to the safe storage of firearms in the home. This has been an issue on which the firearm industry has led from the front for over two decades. Every firearm shipped from the factory includes a locking device. Additionally, through NSSF’s leadership with Project ChildSafe, over 40 million firearm safety kits, including locking devices, have been distributed to communities across America through partnerships with over 15,000 law enforcement agencies in all 50 states and five U.S. territories. This campaign has been recognized by the National Safety Council’s Green Cross Awards and the Government Accountability Office for its efficacy in reducing the criminal and negligent misuse of firearms through voluntary safe storage. NSSF welcomes the Biden administration’s support to increase the reach of this firearm-industry financed effort.
In 2013, then-Vice President Joe Biden held a White House meeting in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook tragedy. He spoke to then-NSSF CEO Steve Sanetti, and referring to NSSF, the president said, “You guys are doing a lot of good things, including the gunlock thing. And this isn’t Joe Biden just blowing smoke. I mean it.”
NSSF has not opposed the use of emergency risk protection orders, or so-called “red flag” laws, so long as those laws include adequate protections for Constitutional Due Process considerations. To date, none of the “red flag” laws in the 19 states and District of Columbia include these Constitutional protections. NSSF urges the Biden administration and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to address these Constitutional concerns that would encourage additional states to consider these laws.
President Biden’s demand to close “the dating violence restraining order loophole” has already been addressed and was not opposed by the firearm industry. Definitions of domestic partners were updated in the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Congress expanded domestic and dating partners to the list of prohibited individuals to include those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence. Those laws were signed by President Biden.
NSSF recognized that the Department of Defense (DoD) instructs all military members on firearm safety during entry-level training. These include the fundamental rules of firearm safety. The firearm industry welcomes the Biden administration’s acknowledgment of proven firearm safety practices that have been the hallmark of the firearm industry for over a century. To the extent that the Biden administration is attempting to politicize the acquisition for the warfighter, the only criteria should be which firearm is the best one to meet the needs of America’s warfighters. Injecting gun control politics into the process is dangerous. Gun control politics should never have a place in DoD’s selection processes.
NSSF does not oppose the reauthorization of the Undetectable Firearms Act, which requires 3.7 ounces of metal be included in a major component part of a firearm. Detection technology has improved to the point where image detectors have been able to identify polymer-framed firearms. Demands to modernize this act deserve strict scrutiny. The Undetectable Firearms Act as it is currently written should be made permanent.
NSSF rejects the Biden administration’s demands to ban Modern Sporting Rifles (MSRs) and standard-capacity magazines. This demand is clearly unconstitutional, as affirmed by the Heller, McDonald and Bruen decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court that affirmed the individual right to possess firearms in common use. More than 24.4 million MSRs are in circulation today. That’s more than there are Ford F-150s on the road, the most-popular selling pickup truck. MSRs are semiautomatic firearms, which operate the same way as the most popular handguns and duck hunting shotguns. One cartridge is expended for each pull of the trigger. Likewise, efforts to ban standard-capacity magazines are an attempt to infringe on the Constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans. The courts have affirmed that magazine possession is essential to the ability to exercise Second Amendment rights. NSSF knows from government studies that banning MSRs and restricting magazine capacity will not make our communities safer.
NSSF rejects the Biden administration’s demand to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). This law is the expressed will of Congress that was passed with a wide bipartisan majority and prevents frivolous lawsuits against the firearm industry for the criminal misuse of firearms by remote third parties. This would be akin to suing Ford and Anheuser-Busch for criminal drunk driving incidents. Criminals are responsible for the crimes they commit.
NSSF rejects President Biden’s weaponization of the nonpartisan Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to squelch the First Amendment rights of firearm businesses. The heavy-handed approach is nothing short of an attempt to chill First Amendment-protected commercial free speech about products protected by the Second Amendment. The firearm industry markets firearms only to those who are legally able to possess them. Only those over the age of 18 can legally purchase a firearm at retail after submitting to an FBI NICS verification.
NSSF also rejects the Biden administration’s attempt to weaponize the “zero tolerance” policy of revoking federal firearms licenses for minor clerical errors by compounding that ill-conceived policy to expand it to a “name-and-shame” effort. Firearm retailers are the front line for ensuring firearms are sold only to those legally able to purchase them and “zero-tolerance” risks the cooperative relationship between firearm retailers and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This weaponization of the ATF would codify the Biden administration’s efforts to transform the ATF from a law enforcement and regulatory agency to one that is a political arm of an antigun administration.
About The National Shooting Sports Foundation
NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations, and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org
There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.
Montesquieu
Sure there is: dementia joey and his socialist handlers. Tyranny from spite and ignorance for lust of control.
Dementia Joe and his handlers can take those demands and shove em where the sun don’t shine. We will continue to ignore the illegitimate fool in the People’s House and follow the Constitution.
I remember another deadly raid… we need to build tribe and our own local QRF, so you have backup handy!
I was living in Waco when the feds went in on this raid. The spineless McLennan County Sheriff didn’t do a damn thing to stop the feds and Janet Reno.
I always said. Give me 2 million patriots, and this country will change.
It can be done with far less than that!! You just have to deploy your resources properly!!
A long time ago I read an interesting book:
Unintended Consequences” by John Ross.
Started by the BATF (as was the Ruby Ridge fiasco); but ended by the FBI!
Hey Bill, are you with the FBI, You surely sound like you might be or someone closely associated with them.
Just saying. Don’t know if you are or not.
Every time Joe opens his mouth to speak a lie comes out, when he talks about guns he is so not educated on the use or the terms of firearm parts.
Why do they always talk about the the deaths from gun use yet three times more people are dead from Fentanyl that have been smuggled into the U.S. by the cartels in the past year.
AND the precursor chemicals come to Mexico from CHINA!
They want to change the environment?
Bring back the death penalty!!!
Start killing these MFers, you’ll see that these stupid assholes will suddenly realize what consequences are.
Kill every death row inmate on live TV until there are NONE LEFT. One a night at 6 pm so parents can tune in and show their kids the consequences of violent crime.
and…….
ALL trials and appeals start to finish and sentencing within two years of the crime so the public remembers the crime. END WAIVERS OF TIME.
Two violent strikes you’re dead.
Well you had better double that number because every morning I wake up to the news In Richmond Va. and often find that some one has been shot overnight and often they are dead. Yep I guess they had better announce two to be killed on death row or your suggestion will not reach an end any time soon. However all they want to do is to turn the CRIMINALS OUT OF PRISON and Set them loose on the public.
I guess you missed all of the wrongly accused and wrongly convicted people who have been released since DNA technology was developed? Government should not exist. If it exists it should not do anything. If it does anything it certainly shouldn’t decide who lives or dies or kill people.
The government that runs the courts and would apply the death penalty is the same one trying to take our guns.
Soooooo let’s do nothing then, that’ll fix it. Oh, wait! That’s what’s happening now. Yeah, that’s working.
And how many have been freed based on updated DNA technology? 2, 4, 6, 7?
OK , what is your suggestion. The way I see it is the new tech will take care of that situation for anyone committing crimes today and forward and if anyone of the past is proven not guilty by new tech then let those out. But certainly a new tech date will have been set for any crimes of today and forward.
Hey, Brandon: How’d Prohibition work out for the Feds? FJB
With the election fast approaching, expect more of the same from the meat puppet.
And yet again, the NSSF makes it perfectly clear that they support A LOT of infringement.
so they are concerned about firearms going missing in transit?Simple. END the stupid special requirements as if arms are some super special class of goods that are inherently dangerous.. never know when one might jump out of the box and start shooting folks, right? UPS/FedEx now mandate prioroty overnight shipping at near a hundred bucks, and HEY stilll can’t keep track of them. That is OUR fault? Used to be able to ship through US Mail flat rate. Takes a day or twom so what? Costs fifteen bucks or so. Millions of those boxes fling about everywhere. Nothinng special toattract… Read more »
Why don’t they just tell the truth and say all these increased regulations are to catch law abiding citizens in the dragnet due to ignorance of the new laws, thus making them prohibited from owning a firearm. All while increasing the ability to sue firearm manufacturers. It’s a multifaceted attack on 2A rights.
Reading between the lines, I get the distinct impression that the NSSF is really not on our side.
Any and all Laws restricting the 2nd Amendment are Infringement. Negotiating Rights Away isn’t just the NRA, but the NSSF too.
It is the blatant criminality of the legal system that is the thorn in everybody’s side!! Get rid of that, and go back to Common Law courts instead of the fake legal system we are forced to suffer under, and society will calm down. All of this unrest we are seeing is the direct result of men and women who profit off of it, creating it in the first place! They cause all of the problems that they claim they are here to rescue us from! Is that really so hard to see?
Joe Biden better worry about the “after life” instead of being a little God. Life here on earth is short, it’s like a vapor, appearing for but a moment then vanishes away.
I actually feel sorry for him and pray that he changes his ways and repents.
I can remember that before the election(stolen), in an interview, Biden stated that he would not and could not “rule” by executive orders, that would be a dictatorship. …yeah we know!
I will say it again! The only way to stop this crap is ALL MEMBERS OF NSSF MUST I REPEAT MUST STOP SELLING GUNS, AMMO, PARTS, AND ACCESSORIES TO ANY GOVERNMENT TRYING TO TAKE AWAT 2 CD AMENDMENT RIGHTS
I would like to hear from anyone why not and don’t give me the crap about not wanting to hurt police.
WE MUST HANG TOGETHER OR WE WILL HANG SEPARATELY
Historically, i have noticed the nssf to be an elitist organisation posing as a pro 2a organisation… I think they are a wolf in sheep’s clothing no different than the nra.
Wow, you really don’t know much of anything, do you??
I know enough to know they supported red flag laws along with the nra…but fud guys like yourself don’t want that coming to light while you subvert the 2nd amendment do you?
I know you’re a fudd because you attack the pro-2A side, and while not every .org is perfect, the least you could do is offer a constructive criticism.
Besides, I’m not the one getting ratio’ed with downvotes!
The NSSF is literally stating in this very article all of the infringement they have supported in the past and much more they believe should be enacted.
NSSF and NRA are not pro 2A. Their history is clear.
They are atfs partner…….spare me
Their entire statement can be summed as “We cow towed, boot locked, and ass kissed to support your unconstitutional infringements, why won’t you pat us on our heads?”
I do not understand WHY you are getting down-votes on this statement. I personally see, “Camel’s nose under the tent.” “Trojan Horse means.” and have observed quite a bit of double-talk from the NSSF that would be considered a Cover Your Ass ideology. I don’t know much about them from the beginning, but what I have observed in the past several years is not all that impressive in regard to battling i the trenches for the overall country and the 2nd Amendment.
There are a lot of dem subversives on comment boards like this… Elite gun enthusiasts that don’t believe in the second amendment, they believe it is only for the elite and their ‘sporting pirposes’ or protecting themselves from the unwashed masses. Which is what i have gathered the nssf to be representative of over the years.