Efforts To Block Gun Exports Not About Safety, But Hurting Manufacturers

By Tom Knighton

A while back, the Trump administration announced it was looking at loosening export restrictions on certain firearms. Nothing game-changing, just American versions of the kind of weapons available from numerous overseas manufacturers. After all, guns are going to be bought. There’s little reason American companies shouldn’t have a shot of being the ones selling it.

However, it seems that Democrats are taking issue with that and are trying to stop it.

Last year, the administration proposed a regulatory change to transfer the export licensing of guns to the much looser rules of the Commerce Department, which industry leaders expect will “significantly expand their opportunities,” while removing congressional oversight and severely reducing the capacity to control the end uses of exported weapons.

The proposed rule would apply to sniper rifles, semi-automatic assault rifles, and other weapons used in warfare around the world. The change would also effectively deregulate the production of 3D-printed weapons, which are currently considered exports.

But the proposed change was set back on July 11, when the House of Representatives approved an amendment sponsored by Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA) to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that prohibits taking gun exports off the State Department’s U.S. Munitions …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms