Posted on 12/24/2010 10:38:40 AM PST by neverdem
WASHIGNTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg today sent a bipartisan letter along with 33 co-signers to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) questioning an “emergency” information request that will require federally licensed firearms retailers to report multiple sales of semi-automatic rifles. The proposal was included in the Federal Register and specifically calls for firearm retailers to report multiple sales, or other dispositions, of two or more .22 caliber or larger semi-automatic rifles that are capable of accepting a detachable magazine and are purchased by the same individual within five consecutive business days.
“It’s not just the new rule gun advocates object to, it’s the presumption that buying multiple guns is a questionable activity that ought to be monitored,” said Rehberg, a member of the Second Amendment Task Force. “We cross a line when the federal government starts keeping tabs on citizens who are exercising their Constitutional rights in a completely legal manner. This isn’t about partisanship or politics – this is about standing up for liberty.”
Unlike previous efforts to register firearm purchases, this emergency information request can be implemented without any congressional action whatsoever.
"This effort by the ATF will do nothing to address the crime and violence in Mexico. Blaming law-abiding Americans for these problems is wrong," said Chris Cox, executive director for the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action. "NRA supports legitimate efforts to stop criminal activity, but we will not stand idle while our Second Amendment is sacrificed for politics."
The text of the full letter is below:
Dear Mr. President:
We write to you today regarding the emergency request from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that was published in the Federal Register on Friday December 17th, 2010. As you know, this request asks the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve an information collection that would require federally licensed firearm dealers to report the sales of two or more semiautomatic rifles to the same customer within a five-day period.
Despite the institution of a 60-day public comment period on this change, the ATF intends to begin collecting this information as soon as January 5, 2011. We are strongly opposed to this request by the ATF, and to any further efforts to regulate the sale of firearms through emergency notices and paperwork changes that have not been properly vetted by Congress or by the affected public.
Implementing the ATF’s proposal would subject firearms dealers and their customers to new, onerous requirements that would inevitably track and catalogue the purchases of law-abiding gun owners. And while Congress has authorized multiple sales reporting for handguns, we have never extended this authority to other types of firearms. Expanding this power by executive decree would be an end run around Congress.
Under current law, the ATF already has extensive powers to inspect the sales records of firearms dealers and investigate suspicious transactions. We encourage your Administration to reconsider this ill-conceived change to the reporting requirements, and instead utilize the ATF’s existing authority to ensure that firearms dealers are in compliance with the law.
Sincerely,
http://www.nraila.org/media/pdfs/Baucus_TesterltrtoBATFE122310.pdf
Montana's rat dynamic duo in the U.S. Senate, Baucus and Tester, are also getting in the act over "Project Gunrunner." Tester faces the voters in 2012.
All the government alphabet organizations (BATF, FDA, EPA, USDA, ect.)must come up with new regulations every year to justify their existance.
It is called Job Security for them.
The “emergency” the ATF seems to believe exists is that honest American citizens still have access to and can own firearms. This rule is another harassment on us and a way to create a list of owners for confiscation and arrest. Supreme Leader, Hussein Hugo Chavez Omama is not on vacation, he is snooping in your closet.
Witnessed this crap in California before finally leaving. This incrementalism has got to stop. As if curing the symptoms ever rids us of the cancer. The end result will always be the same and I’m sick and tired of the excuses by our own citizens who are either too stupid to see what is happening or simply have chosen to ignore it. Fritter away your own liberties, but you have no right to do so with mine!
Letter shmetter, when the rats vote to defund the B’trds then it will be news. Until then, we need to make every effort to elect people who will defund the B’trds.
“All the government alphabet organizations (BATF, FDA, EPA, USDA, ect.)must come up with new regulations every year to justify their existance.”
Are you familiar with the new “Food Safety Act S510”?
It seemed to me they were desperate to get this passed so I was extremely suspicious. On first glance it seems to give the Feds control of ‘Food Safety”, which, given their propensity to expand their powers, could mean control over ALL food production. Maybe I’m paranoid.
I wasted too much time trying to find ATF F 3310.12. It wasn't at the ATF, yes they still use ATF, website where you can download their other forms.
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