East Idaho Times

U.S. Senator Jim Risch of Idaho has introduced the ATF Transparency Act, aiming to improve the fairness and speed of background checks and application processes for National Firearms Act (NFA) items. The legislation is supported by several senators including Mike Crapo, Steve Daines, Cindy Hyde-Smith, James Lankford, Cynthia Lummis, Roger Marshall, and Tim Sheehy.

Risch emphasized that "law-abiding gun owners wrongfully denied their Second Amendment rights should be able to appeal their case through an efficient, transparent process." He described the act as a measure to hold the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) accountable while providing a faster process for firearm applications.

Senator Crapo echoed these sentiments stating that "a more transparent review and appeals process for those improperly flagged by the ATF will give individuals the due process they rightly deserve." Senator Daines highlighted the importance of this legislation in protecting Montanans' constitutional rights against processing errors.

Hyde-Smith pointed out that no system is perfect but stressed that this act would help prevent law-abiding Americans from being unjustly denied their Second Amendment rights. Similarly, Lummis criticized bureaucratic hurdles imposed by unelected officials at the ATF which could criminalize gun owners or hinder appeals.

Marshall voiced his commitment to safeguarding Kansans' constitutional rights as a lifelong gun owner. He stated that "the ATF Transparency Act furthers this mission by requiring the ATF to develop an appeals process."

The proposed act has gained support from Gun Owners of America and the National Rifle Association (NRA). Aidan Johnston from Gun Owners of America endorsed it saying there is no justification for lengthy NFA approval times compared to normal background checks. John Commerford from NRA applauded Risch for standing up for Americans' Second Amendment rights with this crucial piece of legislation.

Key provisions in the ATF Transparency Act include codifying an appeals process to protect against wrongful denials of background checks. It mandates that if applications are not processed within three days by the ATF, they will be automatically approved. Additionally, it requires reports on unresolved background checks involving NFA items from both Government Accountability Office and Department of Justice along with recommendations on reducing such cases.