Goodlatte: Administration Abandons Attack on Second Amendment

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) issued the statement below after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced that it will abandon its plan to ban a widely-used bullet used for the AR-15, the most popular sporting rifle in the United States.  

“After much pressure from a large, bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives, I am pleased that the Obama Administration has abandoned its attack on the Second Amendment. Congress will continue to steadfastly protect the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens and it is entirely inappropriate for President Obama to stretch his regulatory authority to implement partisan policies that Congress has refused to enact. Such an abuse of power would impact many law-abiding gun owners and restrict the American people’s ability to legally and responsibly exercise their Second Amendment rights.  
 
“I and other members of the House Judiciary Committee will continue to keep a watchful eye on the Obama Administration so that we protect Americans’ constitutional rights. We cannot allow the President of the United States to infringe upon the Second Amendment rights afforded to all Americans.”
 
Last week, Chairman Goodlatte led 239 Members of Congress in sending a letter to ATF Director B. Todd Jones expressing strong concern about the Obama Administration’s plan to ban the manufacture and importation of the second-most common ammunition used for the AR-15, the M855 or “green tip.” The letter and list of Members who signed it can be found here.

Americans own more than five million AR-15s, which are the most commonly used rifles for sports shooting as well as home protection. The ammunition used for the AR-15 has been exempted under federal law for sporting purposes for over 30 years, which allows it to be lawfully manufactured, imported, and sold on the civilian market in the United States.