{"id":3110,"date":"2024-04-09T17:42:46","date_gmt":"2024-04-09T17:42:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/?p=3110"},"modified":"2024-04-09T17:42:46","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T17:42:46","slug":"pause-on-firearms-exports-is-an-unjustified-attack-on-the-gun-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/?p=3110","title":{"rendered":"Pause on Firearms Exports is an Unjustified Attack on the Gun Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"td-post-featured-image\">\n<figure><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ian-taylor-cargo-ship-unsplash-copy.jpg\" data-caption=\"Ian Taylor\/Unsplash Photo\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"696\" height=\"464\" class=\"entry-thumb td-modal-image\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ian-taylor-cargo-ship-unsplash-copy-696x464.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ian-taylor-cargo-ship-unsplash-copy-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ian-taylor-cargo-ship-unsplash-copy-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ian-taylor-cargo-ship-unsplash-copy-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ian-taylor-cargo-ship-unsplash-copy-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ian-taylor-cargo-ship-unsplash-copy-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ian-taylor-cargo-ship-unsplash-copy-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ian-taylor-cargo-ship-unsplash-copy-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ian-taylor-cargo-ship-unsplash-copy-560x373.jpg 560w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ian-taylor-cargo-ship-unsplash-copy.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" alt=\"\" title=\"ian-taylor-cargo ship-unsplash copy\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ian Taylor\/Unsplash Photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-next-post-navi\">\n<p>\nNext Post Coming Soon&#8230;\u25b6\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>A new publication by the Commerce Department\u2019s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) shows that the stated reason for the 90-day firearm export \u201cpause\u201d \u2013 which is well past 160 days \u2013 is a nothingburger. It\u2019s a sandwich with no meat but layers of government cheese. And lots of it.<\/p>\n<p>Commerce Department\u2019s BIS published a \u201c<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bis.doc.gov\/index.php\/documents\/enforcement\/1005-don-t-let-this-happen-to-you-1\/file\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Don\u2019t Let this HAPPEN TO YOU!<\/a><\/strong>\u201d document that was posted online in March of actual investigations of export control and antiboycott violations. Government officials highlighted approximately 20 entries for firearms or related accessories. Not a single one of those cases of illegal smuggling was the result of any licensed U.S. exporter. There are no examples of misconduct by any legitimate firearm businesses.<\/p>\n<p>The instances BIS highlights are all cases of individuals attempting to illegally smuggle firearms. Contrast that with reports that U.S. arms left by President Joe Biden\u2019s rushed Afghanistan withdrawal <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nssf.org\/articles\/president-biden-surrendered-u-s-arms-to-terrorists-he-wants-to-take-yours\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">left the \u201cmotherlode\u201d of small arms<\/a><\/strong> to be seized by Taliban terrorists. Those were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nssf.org\/articles\/weapons-abandoned-by-biden-administration-appear-in-hamas-terror-attacks\/?hilite=afganistan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>reportedly being seen<\/strong><\/a> in Gaza when terrorists attacked Israel on Oct. 7.<\/p>\n<p>The report defies what BIS officials have publicly stated and testified that there was a need to stop firearm exports to conduct a security policy review. BIS <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bis.doc.gov\/index.php\/documents\/policy-guidance\/3374-2023-10-27-bis-faqs-firearms-pause-and-review\/file\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">posted the notice Oct. 27<\/a><\/strong>, late on a Friday afternoon in what is commonly referred to as a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nssf.org\/articles\/president-bidens-war-on-firearm-industry-reaches-new-peak\/?utm_source=grupdate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Friday news dump<\/strong><\/a>,\u201d that new U.S. export licenses would be temporarily halted to much of the world to \u201cassess current firearm export control review policies to determine whether any changes are warranted to advance U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.\u201d The notice added that BIS needed to \u201cmore effectively assess and mitigate risk of firearms being diverted to entities or activities that promote regional instability, violate human rights, or fuel criminal activities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That was over 160 days ago. BIS is no closer to ending this 90-day pause than they were 90 days ago and it is NSSF\u2019s understanding that we won\u2019t see anything for another two months.<\/p>\n<h4>Where\u2019s the Beef?<\/h4>\n<p>Just two weeks ago, U.S. Reps. Tim Burchett and Mark Green, both Tennessee Republicans, <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignaffairs.house.gov\/hearing\/countering-china-on-the-world-stage-empowering-american-businesses-and-denying-chinese-military-our-technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>tore into<\/strong><\/a> BIS Under Secretary Alan Estevez during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing for BIS\u2019s foot-dragging of the \u201c90-day\u201d firearm and ammunition export pause. Under Secretary Estevez had no substantial answer as to why the \u201cpause\u201d continued to linger, saying only it was so BIS could craft a policy to ensure firearm exports aren\u2019t diverted to criminal elements, saying only that the process was \u201cclose\u201d to being finished. Under Secretary Estevez also refused to answer whether his office coordinated with The White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention on the export pause.<\/p>\n<p>Now, this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bis.doc.gov\/index.php\/documents\/enforcement\/1005-don-t-let-this-happen-to-you-1\/file\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>BIS publication<\/strong><\/a> is showing that every time BIS is looking to bite into something that implicates U.S. firearm exporters, they\u2019re coming up with a mouthful of nothing.<\/p>\n<p>BIS cited <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bis.doc.gov\/index.php\/documents\/enforcement\/1005-don-t-let-this-happen-to-you-1\/file\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>34 cases in the report<\/strong><\/a> of individuals illegally attempting to export firearms, parts, accessories or body armor as examples of illegal firearm smuggling. They were the \u201cwhat not to do\u201d highlights. None of these were licensed U.S. firearm exporters. The BIS report actually exonerates licensed U.S. firearm exporters because they\u2019ve been doing the right thing the whole time. BIS couldn\u2019t find one single example of a licensed U.S. exporter violating the law. So does the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.atf.gov\/firearms\/docs\/report\/nfcta-volume-ii-part-iv-crime-guns-recovered-outside-us-and-traced-le\/download\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trace data<\/a><\/strong> that shows less than one percent of legally exported firearms are ever traced in connection with a crime taking place in a foreign country.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s more telling is that the BIS Office of Export Enforcement is actually successfully stopping illegal smuggling of firearms \u2013 which the firearm industry supports. If the licensed U.S. firearm exporters were the problem, cases would be filed. There would be firearm traces to show illegal activity. There would be press releases, press conferences and line-ups for the Biden administration to crow about and media to splash across the front pages or the evening news.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, the silence is deafening. BIS knows there is no meat in the sandwich they\u2019re trying to serve.<\/p>\n<p>Congress is getting fed up. They\u2019re starting to sound like the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bettermarketing.pub\/wheres-the-beef-the-story-of-the-most-famous-slogan-ever-550d3f0c48c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">circa 1980s Wendy\u2019s \u201cWhere the Beef\u201d commercial<\/a><\/strong> because they know the truth.<\/p>\n<h4>BIS Ignores 16 Congressional Letters, Bills &amp; Subpoenas<\/h4>\n<p>Eighty-eight Members of Congress, led by Rep. Green, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nssfpdf.s3.amazonaws.com\/Letter+to+Commerce-BIS+Re+Pause+in+Firearms+Export+License+Issuance.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">signed a letter on Nov. 7, 2023<\/a><\/strong>, demanding answers from Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo for details surrounding the Biden administration\u2019s decision to \u201cpause\u201d firearm exports to certain countries pending a review. That was followed by a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.budd.senate.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/11.16.23-Budd-Letter-to-Raimondo-on-Commerce-Firearms-Export-Pause.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nov. 16, 2023, letter from 46 U.S. Senators<\/a><\/strong>, led by Sen. Tedd Budd (R-N.C.) to Secretary Raimondo asking similar questions.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Green criticized the Biden administration for \u201cpausing\u201d firearm exports as a politically-motivated attack on a Constitutionally-protected industry in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/news\/2023\/nov\/20\/bidens-hypocritical-attack-on-civilian-arms-export\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>The Washington Times on Nov. 20, 2023<\/strong><\/a>. That was quickly followed by Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) sending an NSSF-supported <a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/11\/30\/id5538601-Letter-to-Commerce-on-Firearms-Export-License-Pause.pdf?_gl=1*1g0em04*_g\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>letter on Nov. 28, 2023<\/strong><\/a>, to Secretary Raimondo to demand answers regarding the Commerce Department\u2019s decision to stop issuing new export licenses for most civilian firearms and ammunition sold to non-government users for 90 days.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Mark Green introduced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/118th-congress\/house-bill\/6504?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22hr+6504%22%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>H.R. 6504<\/strong><\/a>, the Protect American Gun Exporters Act, or PAGE Act, in response to the Biden administration\u2019s 90-day firearm export \u201cpause.\u201d That bill, introduced Nov. 29, 2023, <a href=\"https:\/\/markgreen.house.gov\/2023\/11\/rep-green-s-new-bill-doubles-down-on-fight-for-second-amendment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>would prohibit<\/strong><\/a> any actions taken to carry out the Commerce Department\u2019s export licensing pause for certain exports under the Commerce Control List.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. House Committee on Small Business Chairman Roger Williams (R-Texas) <a href=\"https:\/\/smallbusiness.house.gov\/news\/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=405812\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>wrote<\/strong><\/a> to Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez on Dec. 5, 2023, demanding answers for BIS\u2019s 90-day \u201cpause\u201d of issuing commercial firearm exports. Rep. Green continued to hammer for answers in a <a href=\"https:\/\/clarksvillenow.com\/local\/congressman-mark-green-pause-on-american-gun-exports-cripples-firearm-industry-opinion\/#:~:text=Contributed%20commentary%20by%20Congressman%20Mark,hurting%20American%20jobs%20and%20businesses.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>ClarksvilleNOW.com op-ed<\/strong><\/a> published Dec. 8, 2023.<\/p>\n<p>The House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nssf.org\/articles\/house-subcommittee-seeks-answers-on-suspicious-bis-90-day-firearm-export-pause\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>held a hearing<\/strong><\/a> on Dec. 12, 2023, over the Biden administration\u2019s unprecedented decision to \u201cpause\u201d all new firearm export licenses to most countries for 90 days.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/118th-congress\/senate-bill\/3531?s=1&amp;r=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">S. 3531<\/a><\/strong>, the Protect American Gun Exporters Act, on Dec. 14, 2023. This <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lee.senate.gov\/2023\/12\/lee-fires-back-at-biden-gun-export-restrictions-with-new-bill\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bill comes in response<\/a><\/strong> to the Bureau of Industry and Security\u2019s (BIS) 90-day pause. This is the Senate companion to Rep. Green\u2019s House bill of the same name.<\/p>\n<p>Sens. Mike Lee, Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SenMikeLee\/status\/1752075660149805332\/photo\/1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>wrote a letter Jan. 25<\/strong><\/a> to the U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) urging them to use their authority to block the BIS plan to indefinitely extend the \u201cpause\u201d of firearm exports.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), a combat veteran of the U.S. Army, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Zug5vML4p4Q&amp;t=1636s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shattered<\/a><\/strong> the Biden administration\u2019s myth that U.S. firearm exports fuel human rights abuses in a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Feb. 6.<\/p>\n<p>The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman Comer (R-Ky.) <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/oversight.house.gov\/release\/comer-issues-subpoena-to-commerce-for-firearm-export-pause-docs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">issued a subpoena on Feb, 15<\/a><\/strong>, to the Commerce Department for documents related to Commerce\u2019s action to cease issuing new export licenses.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Lee led an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lee.senate.gov\/2024\/2\/lee-calls-out-commerce-time-s-up-on-pause-for-gun-export-licenses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>NSSF-supported letter on Feb. 21<\/strong><\/a> to Under Secretary Estevez telling him \u201cTime\u2019s up,\u201d and urging the Biden administration to end the unilateral pause on issuing new export licenses for American firearms manufacturers by the Department of Commerce.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Green, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nssf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/ResponseLetter-toCommerceBIS18.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>sent an NSSF-supported letter on March 9<\/strong><\/a>, demanding the BIS 90-pause, which is long past 90 days, be immediately lifted for lack of credible information to justify it.<\/p>\n<p>The Biden administration, its Commerce Department and BIS have ignored these calls because they know the truth. There\u2019s no reason for the export \u201cpause.\u201d It\u2019s a charade. It\u2019s an unjustified attack on the firearm industry because President Biden thinks U.S. firearm manufacturers are \u201cthe enemy,\u201d not those who attack America. The BIS export pause is a nothingburger.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-next-post-navi\">\n<p>\nNext Post Coming Soon&#8230;\u25b6\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/pause-on-firearms-exports-is-an-unjustified-attack-on-the-gun-industry\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ian Taylor\/Unsplash Photo Next Post Coming Soon&#8230;\u25b6 A new publication by the Commerce Department\u2019s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) shows that the stated reason for the 90-day firearm export \u201cpause\u201d \u2013 which is well past 160 days \u2013 is a nothingburger. It\u2019s a sandwich with no meat but layers of government cheese. And lots [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3111,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3110","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-reviews"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3110"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3110\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}