Joco Today

U.S. Senators Roger Marshall and Jim Risch have introduced the ATF Transparency Act, a bill aimed at enhancing the fairness, speed, and transparency of background checks and application processes for National Firearms Act (NFA) items. This legislation seeks to ensure that law-abiding gun owners experience a fair application process when exercising their Second Amendment rights.

Senator Marshall emphasized his commitment to protecting constitutional rights, stating, "As a lifelong gun owner and supporter of the Second Amendment, I came to the Senate with the mission of protecting this sacred Constitutional right of all Kansans." He added that the act would require the ATF to develop an appeals process to protect Americans' background checks from being wrongfully denied.

Senator Risch noted, "Law-abiding gun owners wrongfully denied their Second Amendment rights should be able to appeal their case through an efficient, transparent process." He explained that his bill aims to codify the current appeals process and hold the ATF accountable.

The bill has garnered support from other senators as well. Senator Mike Crapo highlighted the need for a transparent review process for those improperly flagged by the ATF. Senator Steve Daines underscored its importance for Montanans concerned about processing errors affecting their constitutional rights.

Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith remarked on potential bureaucratic mistakes affecting gun ownership rights: "No system is infallible, including the federal bureaucracy." Meanwhile, Senator Cynthia Lummis expressed her opposition to bureaucratic obstacles faced by lawful gun owners in appealing unfair rulings.

The legislation has received endorsements from Gun Owners of America and the National Rifle Association (NRA). Aidan Johnston from Gun Owners of America criticized existing NFA approval times as unnecessarily lengthy compared to normal background checks. John Commerford from NRA emphasized resolving denial ambiguities and praised Senator Risch's efforts in reintroducing this legislation.