On Thursday, the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced that it will close what is known as the “gun show loophole” when it comes to buying firearms.
According to ABC News, this policy will tighten an already-existing rule, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, by updating what it means to be “engaged in the business” of selling firearms (via ABC News):
The rule now explicitly lists the types of commercial activities that indicate whether a person should become a federally licensed dealer and thus be required to run a background check; prevents people from evading the licensing and background check requirements by claiming that they are just selling a few guns, according to the White House; and prevents people from falsely claiming that guns are part of a personal collection and exempt a seller from running a background check on a buyer.
By being more specific and precise in the definition, Administration officials on a call with reporters said it would require more people to register for a federal selling license and run a background check on the person they are selling to.
According to The Washington Post, the rule will take effect in 30 days.
“Every person in our nation has a right to live free from the horror of gun violence. I do believe that,” Vice President Kamala Harris said on a call with the Post. “We know how to prevent these tragedies, and it is a false choice to say you are either in favor of the Second Amendment or you want to take everyone’s guns away.”
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In September 2023, the ATF unveiled the rule proposal that would increase what is required to obtain a federal firearms license (FFL) in an effort to close this so-called “gun show loophole,” which Townhall covered. Previous rules did not require those who claimed that selling guns is not their main source of income from obtaining a license. Now, those selling guns at gun shows, flea markets, and in other similar settings will need a license to do so under the rule.
At the time, officials from Biden’s Justice Department told reporters that the agency would likely propose a rule that is more specific that the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was signed into law in 2022.
This is one of several attempts by the Biden administration to curtail the Second Amendment. Townhall previously reported how the ATF worked to reverse a decade-old rule allowing pistol braces after Biden entered office. Additionally, Townhall covered how a Wall Street Journal report found that the Biden administration revoked gun licenses from firearms dealers at an unprecedented rate over the past two years.
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