Wyoming Congresswoman Harriet Hageman voted to overturn the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (A.T.F.) rule classifying all firearms with barrels under 16-inches and an attached stabilizing, or “pistol” brace as short-barreled rifles (S.B.R.).
House Joint Resolution 44 was introduced in March and passed largely on a party-line 219-210 vote on Tuesday, June 13. Ironically, two Republican representatives voted against the bill, and two Democrats voted in favor of it.
President Biden introduced the new rule, which was supposed to go in effect at the beginning of June. “This Administration has no higher priority than keeping the American people safe, which is jeopardized with a vote in support of a resolution that makes it easier for mass shooters to obtain these deadly weapons,” reads a statement of administration policy released by the Biden Administration.
Hageman released the following statement on her vote on H.J.R. 44:
“This latest unconstitutional rule from the A.T.F. is a blatant attempt to take away our 2nd Amendment rights and strip away the ability to defend ourselves”, said Hageman. “Should this rule be implemented, the A.T.F. would instantaneously transform millions of law-abiding citizens into potential criminals, threatening their freedom, property, and lives in the process.
“While Joe Biden and liberal democrats despise it, the 2nd Amendment is vital to the protection of individual citizens and the preservation of our nation; legitimate government originates from the consent of the governed, and as such, citizens must be vigilant and equipped in the fight against tyranny. Our Founding Fathers would be enraged at the attempts of our government to circumvent the fundamental law preserving our government and constitution.
“I stand in full support of H.J. Res. 44, which prevents unconstitutional and dangerous overreach by unelected bureaucrats. We cannot preserve our representative government or claim to be a free people if we do not preserve our right to protect ourselves from the ever-present threat of tyranny.”
Under the Gun Control Act of 1968, an S.B.R. is defined as a “rifle having a barrel or barrels of less than 16-inches in length”. S.B.R.s must be registered with the A.T.F. for $200 to be possessed legally.
Per the A.T.F.’s compliance guide for this rule, the compliance options for owners of newly declared S.B.R.s must perform one of the following to comply with A.T.F. rules:
- Destroy the firearm
- Surrender the firearm to the A.T.F.
- Pay $200 to register the firearm with the A.T.F.
- Permanently remove the stabilizing brace
- Remove the short barrel and attach a barrel of 16 inches or longer.
Individuals who fail to comply with the A.T.F.’s new ruling can face up to 10 years imprisonment, up to $10,000 in fines, or both (26 U.S.C. 5861(d), 5871)
House Joint Resolution 44 is now in the chambers of the U.S. Senate. Although, even if it passes through the Democrat-majority Senate, President Joe Biden already announced his intention to veto the bill.
