Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is bringing new meaning to the phrase “Don’t Mess With Texas.” This time, it is aimed at big banks and he’s got Austin city officials in his sights.
NSSF® celebrates the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous 9-0 decision that the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PCLAA) bars Mexico’s claims that firearm manufacturers “aided and abetted” illegal firearms trafficking to narco-terrorist drug cartels in Mexico. “This is a tremendous victory for the firearm industry and the rule of law. For too long, gun control activists have attempted to twist basic tort law to malign the highly-regulated U.S. firearm industry with the criminal actions of violent organized crime, both here in the United States and abroad,” said NSSF’s Lawrence G. Keane, Senior Vice President and General Counsel.
New York Attorney General Letitia James announces a “multi state coalition” of 20 attorneys general asking the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention to “ensure that future military production contracts prohibit the sale of military-subsidized weapons and ammunition to civilians.”
Vista Outdoor Inc. (NYSE: VSTO) has rejected the unsolicited proposal received on November 22, 2023 from Colt CZ Group SE to combine Colt CZ and Vista Outdoor. In a letter to Colt CZ, acting Vista CEO Gary McArthur cited a number of factors in the decision, including a lack of “adequate details relating to the debt and equity financing contemplated thereby and does not include any binding commitments with respect to such financing.”
Yesterday the ATF issued an open letter regarding firearm storage at FFLs. The letter opens with: “On March 14, 2023, President Biden issued an Executive Order 14092 on Reducing Gun Violence and Making Our Communities Safer. Among other things, that order emphasized the need for Federal agencies to promote the safe storage of firearms. The attached open letter assists Federal Firearms Licensees (“FFLs”) in understanding their obligations when they choose to provide firearm storage services to their customers and the public.”
Vista Outdoor President and CEO Jason Vanderbrink has sent a letter to Sarah Strommen, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources calling for the withdrawal of a new rule that bans the use of traditional ammunition on 56 State and Natural Areas (SNAs) across the state. The letter says “DNR policy should focus on maintaining and growing hunting opportunities for all, not catering to the opinions of extremes. The DNR decision was made in isolation- no alternative viewpoints or stakeholder perspectives considered.” Federal, headquartered in Anoka, Minnesota for more than 100 years, employs more than 1,500 Minnesotans.
NSSF® criticizes the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) plea agreement with Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, to avoid prosecution for illegally possessing a firearm as an admitted drug user. The agreement comes at the same time the Biden administration is punishing firearm retailers by revoking licenses and terminating livelihoods for minor clerical errors with its “zero-tolerance” policy.
NSSF® condemns the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Proposed Rule that would ban the use of traditional lead ammunition on 48 new distinct hunting opportunities across approximately 3,000 acres of National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs). This is another illustration of the Biden administration’s Department of the Interior (DOI) and USFWS kowtowing to anti-hunting activists by promulgating policies that lack sound scientific data.
NSSF® filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in its legal challenge, NSSF v. Bonta, seeking to enjoin California’s firearm industry liability law, AB 1594, that was passed last year and signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The unconstitutional law permits and encourages civil suits against members of the firearm industry for the damages caused by the actions of criminals.
NSSF® filed a lawsuit against Washington’s Attorney General Robert Ferguson and John Batiste, Chief of Washington State Patrol, seeking declaratory and injunctive relief from state authorities enforcing HB 1240, the law that bans the sale and transfer of Modern Sporting Rifles (MSRs) and many other firearms. The lawsuit was filed within hours of Gov. Jay Inslee’s signature by Clement & Murphy, PLLC.
NSSF® 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 law, many of which were previously supported by the firearm industry.
Archery Trade Association President and CEO Jeffrey Poole has responded to yesterday’s column “No War in the Woods”. As our feature pointed out, and Poole emphasizes, there is definitely “no war in the woods or anywhere else when it comes to trade shows and organizations representing the archery and firearms industry.”
ATF invites you to participate in a virtual training directed at FFLs to assist you in better understanding the ATF Final Rule 2021R-08F, “Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached ‘Stabilizing Braces”. Training will be conducted through WebEx on January 31 and February 1, 2023.
With the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), Public Law 117-159, FFLs will, after acquiring an individual’s written consent, have the authority to perform a voluntary NICS check on current and prospective employees. The NICS Section will send ample notification regarding the implementation date for this new use of the NICS. Until that time, please note the NICS may not be accessed for this purpose.
NSSF® has carefully examined the proposed Bipartisan Safer Communities Act legislation. NSSF appreciates the good faith effort by U.S. Senate negotiators to arrive at a proposal that would meaningfully address criminal violence all too frequently occurring in our communities. NSSF is encouraged by portions of the proposal, but we have important concerns about other aspects of the bill that impact our industry and the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.
NSSF® listened with keen interest to President Joe Biden’s nomination of Steve Dettelbach for Director of the ATF. NSSF has long-advocated that the ATF needs a U.S. Senate-confirmed director, and that person must be an individual who will faithfully execute the duties of regulating the firearm industry in accordance with established laws and regulations. Any nominee for this position of public trust, that has direct oversight of how law-abiding Americans are able to exercise their Second Amendment rights, must be a person wedded to the rule of law, and one that will not politicize the ATF to advance a partisan gun control agenda that exceeds what is established in law by the U.S. Congress.
NSSF® has been closely monitoring the ATF enforcement of President Joe Biden's announced “ZERO Tolerance Policy,” which is designed to, “target rogue gun dealers.” However, it is our understanding that the total number of FFL revocations has increased dramatically since the ATF recently implemented that policy. It has been reported that ATF’s interpretation of this new policy has caused unwarranted revocations. We cannot allow this to proceed unchecked. We need to hear from you!
The total economic impact of the firearm and ammunition industry in the United States increased from $19.1 billion in 2008 to $70.52 billion in 2021, a 269 percent increase, while the total number of full-time equivalent jobs rose from approximately 166,000 to over 375,819, a 126 percent increase in that period, according to a report released by the NSSF®, the firearm industry trade association.
NSSF alerted FFLs that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) sent a notice this afternoon (Thursday, March 24) regarding Forced Reset Triggers (FRTs). The ATF letter does not advise industry which brands and does not inform FFLs what they are to do if they are in possession of these items. NSSF® will be pressing ATF to provide the guidance necessary in order for FFLs to be in compliance and not at risk of a “zero tolerance” revocation.
NSSF® noted that the announcement from Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., of their plan to move their headquarters and a large portion of their operations to Tennessee is just the latest of a series firearm and ammunition manufacturers moving to states with strong Second Amendment traditions. Smith & Wesson announced their plans to relocate headquarters and assembly operations from Springfield, Mass., to Maryville, Tenn.