Weekly Spotlight 2/27/25 -3/5/25
Senators Urge ATF to Walk Back Unlawful Biden-Era Overreach
Letter Demonstrates Growing Momentum For Safeguarding 2A Rights
In a significant step toward protecting and expanding Americans’ Second Amendment rights, 30 U.S. Senators recently sent a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) urging the agency to walk back the unconstitutional “final rules” enacted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) during the Biden Administration.
Led by Senator John Cornyn, these lawmakers have called for the agency to immediately rescind unlawful and unconstitutional attempt to undermine fundamental right to self-defense, including four rules including redefining who qualifies as a firearm dealer, reclassifying pistol braces as short-barreled rifles, imposing restrictions on “ghost guns,” and a harsh policy towards gun retailers for minor clerical errors.
Engaged in the Business Rule: Redefines who is considered “engaged in the business” of selling firearms, potentially impacting private sellers and collectors.
Pistol Brace Rule: Reclassifies pistols with stabilizing braces as “short-barreled rifles” under the National Firearms Act, requiring them to comply with additional regulations.
Ghost Gun Rule: Targets untraceable firearms, banning Americans from making their own guns, a long-standing tradition.
Zero Tolerance Rule for Gun Sellers: Imposes harsh penalties on gun retailers for clerical errors, which has led to many businesses being put out of operation.
There is growing momentum in Washington for the protection and expansion of the Second Amendment. Earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order entitled, “Protecting Second Amendment Rights,” that has the potential to reshape the 2A landscape. Similarly, in the new Congress, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), introduced H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which has been called the most consequential reform for gun owners nationwide.
Lawmakers in Washington have heard from voters who deeply value their Second Amendment rights. Now it is up to Congress to turn these ideas into action that safeguard Second Amendment rights for years to come.
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OTHER NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
Washington Examiner: Trump Makes Good On 2A Promises, Raises Hopes For ATF Elimination
For the first couple of weeks of the second Trump administration, Second Amendment advocate groups felt left out of the conservative upheaval sweeping Washington. Some even questioned the commitment President Donald Trump’s picks for top jobs had to gun rights, promising to hold their “feet to the fire and fight any attempts to further erode Americans’ right to keep and bear arms.” But after signing a pro-gun executive order and making critical staff moves, the latest naming new FBI Director Kash Patel as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the groups are expressing elation and hopes that they may get their Holy Grail — the elimination of the ATF.
The Trace: Republican Trifecta Puts Fringe Gun Bills Within Reach
For the past 30 years, Republican lawmakers have dutifully filed the same bill to let people carry concealed guns in all 50 states, regardless of each state’s permitting standards. Sometimes they submitted the same bill twice in one session. Lawmakers have tried to loosen other laws, including the National Firearms Act of 1934, which restricts machine guns and silencers. They have also made several attempts to restructure the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — or abolish it altogether.
Ammoland: ATF Starts Returning Forced Reset Triggers To Their Owners
The ATF has been battling the gun industry over FRTs for years, and in 2022, Rare Breed Triggers started selling the FRT-15. The FRT-15 is a forced reset trigger. In an FRT, the bolt carrier group forces the trigger forward after a shot is fired from an AR-15-style firearm. This action causes the trigger to reset, allowing the user to increase the rate of fire. In the spring of 2022, a Washington, DC, ATF employee saw a video of the FRT-15. Convinced that it was an auto sear, he sent the footage to ATF’s Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division (FATD) in Martinsburg, West Virginia. A firearms examiner watched the video and stated that he believed the FRT-15 was a drop in auto-sear (DIAS).
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