September Legislative Affairs Committee Update
This is your September update from your Friendly Neighborhood Legislative Affairs Committee.
1. The Biden administration has imposed a ban on imported Russian ammunition and weapons over the poisoning of Aleksey Navalny, a political opponent of Russian President Putin. Here’s the official word:
Description of Sanctions: Pursuant to the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (the CBW Act), the United States will impose a second round of sanctions on the Russian Federation over its use of a “Novichok” nerve agent in the August 2020 poisoning of Russian opposition figure Aleksey Navalny.
New sanctions imposed today under the CBW Act include:
- Restrictions on the permanent imports of certain Russian firearms. New and pending permit applications for the permanent importation of firearms and ammunition manufactured or located in Russia will be subject to a policy of denial.
Duration and Conditions for Removal
These latest sanctions on Russia pursuant to the CBW Act will take effect upon the publication of a Federal Register notice expected on September 7, 2021, and they will remain in place for a minimum of 12 months. The sanctions can only be lifted after a 12-month period if the Executive Branch determines and certifies to Congress that Russia has met several conditions described in the CBW Act, 22 U.S.C. 5605(c), including (1) providing reliable assurances that it will not use chemical weapons in violation of international law, (2) it is not making preparations to use chemical weapons in the future, (3) it is willing to allow international inspectors to verify those assurances, and (4) it is making restitution to Mr. Navalny.
The biggest impact is that the economical Wolf brand of ammunition is subject to this ban. As this is an executive action, there’s no hearings nor any citizen input.
2. ATF Director’s Confirmation. The nomination of David Chipman as the new Director of the ATF has been withdrawn.
3. These are the filed legislation packages on the Federal level that your FNLAC are monitoring:
US Senate
- S 190 – Ethan’s Law
- S 281 – Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2021
- S 292 – Extreme Risk Protection Order and Violence Prevention Act of 2021
- S 525 – A bill to amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to more comprehensively address the interstate transportation of firearms or ammunition.
- S 529 – A bill to require a background check for every firearm sale.
US House
- HR 8 – Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021
- HR 30 – Gun Trafficking Prohibition Act
- HR 38 – Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act
- HR 95 – Hearing Protection Act
- HR 121 – Gun Violence Reduction Resources Act of 2021
- HR 127 – Sabika Sheikh Firearm Licensing and Registration Act
