East Idaho Times

U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, both from Idaho, along with Roger Marshall from Kansas, have presented the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act in Washington, D.C. The lawmakers aim to eliminate the taxation, registration, and regulation of certain firearms as enforced through the National Firearms Act (NFA), addressing concerns over short-barreled rifles and shotguns.

According to the senators, the Biden Administration leveraged the NFA to classify pistols with stabilizing braces as illegal short-barreled rifles. This move resulted in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) banning such firearms and compelling gun owners to join what the senators deem an unconstitutional registry. The SHORT Act seeks to prevent any future ban by the ATF and mandates the destruction of records related to the registration, transfer, or manufacture of NFA weapons.

Senator Crapo emphasized that "those seeking to strip away Second Amendment rights have sought every creative way possible to advance their agenda through legislation, regulation and litigation," adding that further restrictions on law-abiding gun owners would not enhance public safety.

Risch commented on the constitutional implications, stating, "Democrats’ attempts to undermine the Second Amendment are unconstitutional and must be stopped. The SHORT Act protects law-abiding Idaho gun owners from unlawful registry, taxation, and regulation of commonly owned firearms."

Marshall echoed these sentiments, stressing the need to rectify what he perceives as infractions on constitutionally protected rights. "'Shall not be infringed' is crystal clear – and the Biden-era abuses of the Constitutionally protected rights of gun owners across the country need to be undone," he declared. He urged legislative colleagues to support this initiative, aimed at restoring Second Amendment rights.

The bill has additional backing from U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Rick Scott of Florida, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Jim Justice of West Virginia, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, Katie Britt of Alabama, Tim Sheehy of Montana, and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska.