The Commerce Department on Friday announced new restrictions on U.S. firearms exports in an effort to prevent the guns from ending up in the hands of drug traffickers and criminals in other nations.
Oversight of legal firearms exports has become a political struggle in Washington since the Trump administration in 2020 moved oversight from the State Department to the Commerce Department — a move that was widely seen as favorable to the firearms industry. President Joe Biden during his 2020 campaign pledged to reverse the move “if needed.” Some Democratic lawmakers in Congress have since scrutinized the rate of approvals for gun exports, including semi-automatic guns, saying they lead to violence and unrest around the world.
The Commerce Department in October put a freeze on gun exports, which was criticized by the National Rifle Association as well as Republican lawmakers. On Friday, the Commerce Department said it would lift the hold on exports starting May 30, but with new rules and tougher review standards.
