Pro-Gun Lawmakers Respond To Obama’s “Gunsmiths As Manufacturers” Scheme

In July, President Obama announced an anti-gun executive order that would use the State Department to reclassify many small gunsmiths who do fairly simple, unsophisticated jobs as “manufacturers” under the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Because gunsmiths who do such work even once would now be required to pay $2,250 per year to register with the U.S. State Department, this directive could drive most small gunsmiths out of business. 

Pro-gun lawmakers are taking the threat posed by this edict very seriously. On Aug. 29, well over 100 senators and representatives signed onto several strongly worded letters addressed to the State Department expressing their concerns and stating, “The last thing [these businesses] need is an edict from the federal government imposing crippling fees and requirements which are wholly unnecessary and nonsensical.” Meanwhile, NRA is working with industry representatives on corrective legislation in case the State Department proves unresponsive.