On September 29, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) at the U.S. Department of Commerce reversed a Biden-era crackdown on the commercial export of firearms from the U.S. to other countries.
Jeffrey I. Kessler, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, said: “BIS strongly rejects the Biden Administration’s war on the Second Amendment and law-abiding firearms users. Today, BIS is restoring common sense to export controls and doing right by America’s proud firearms industry, while also continuing to protect national security.”
American firearms manufacturers estimated that the regulatory restrictions cost them hundreds of millions of dollars per year in lost sales.
A statement from BIS said, “Today, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security rescinded an interim final rule (Firearms IFR) issued by the Biden Administration, which imposed onerous export controls on civilian firearms and related ammunition and components. The rescission of the Firearms IFR will allow U.S. firearms manufacturers to compete in overseas markets, creating hundreds of millions of dollars per year in export opportunities.”
Gun Tests readers and other firearms customers might benefit from the Biden-era firearms rule being revoked because it “imposed a range of excessive and burdensome requirements” on firearms makers. Generally, less red tape in manufacturing translates into lower prices for consumers.
Specifically, BIS said the Biden rule had created:
• A “presumption of denial” for civilian firearms exports to 36 supposedly “high-risk” countries — effectively ceding overseas markets to foreign firearms manufacturers, with no benefit to national security.
• Export license requirements on sporting shotguns and optics to U.S. allies — despite no evidence of any national security risk.
• Bureaucratic hurdles on firearms export licenses, such as extensive documentation requirements and short validity periods.
This BIS statement also said its decision restores the export rules for civilian firearms that existed under the first Trump Administration.
“Under these rules, exports of most pistols, rifles, and non-long-barrel shotguns will remain subject to a worldwide export license requirement. Long-barrel shotguns and most optics can be exported without a license to U.S. allies and certain partners. License application paperwork requirements for firearms will be streamlined and consistent with normal BIS practice. BIS and interagency partners will continue to screen firearms license applications to reduce the risk of weapons ending up in the hands of wrongdoers.”
The BIS action repealed virtually all of the interim final rule enacted by the Biden-Harris administration on April 30, 2024.
