Democrats are crying foul as President Trump prepares to loosen restrictions on firearm exports.
In September 2017 The Hill reported that the Trump administration was “reportedly planning” to ease the restrictions. Now it appears the restrictions will be loosened by transferring “the licensing of gun exports from the State Department to the Commerce Department.”
The shift will only apply to “nonmilitary firearms and ammunition that are already commercially available.” The export of military weapons will continue to be overseen by the State Department. Despite this, Democrat Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA.) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) suggested a loosening of restrictions will contribute to a spread of military weapons.
The Sens. said, “As you are aware, combat firearms and ammunition are uniquely lethal; they are easily spread and easily modified, and are the primary means of injury, death and destruction in civil and military conflicts throughout the world.”
And Rep. Norma Torrres (D-CA) suggested Trump’s is “transferring oversight” on “significant military equipment.”
Again, military weapons will continue to be overseen by the State Department.
In addition making the export of firearms easier, the move will save “small gunsmiths” over $2,000 annually by eliminating the requirement that the register with the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls each year.
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News, the host of the Breitbart podcast Bullets, and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.
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