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Press Releases

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined 51 senators in expressing concern for a new proposal that would severely limit access to rifle ammunition primarily used for sporting purposes. This class of ammunition is protected from prohibition under a 1986 Law Enforcement Officer Protection Act exemption. The framework, proposed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) would set arbitrary guidelines for determining whether certain ammunition meets the 1986 law’s “sporting purposes” exemption. As a result, access to rifle ammunition long considered to be primarily used for activities such as target shooting and hunting could be limited. 

In a letter to ATF Director Todd Jones, the senators charge that the new framework defies the intent of Congress when it passed the 1986 law. They also question ATF’s authority to establish such a framework and express concern for its impact on Second Amendment rights guaranteed in the Constitution. 

“Second Amendment rights require not only access to firearms but to bullets. If law-abiding gun owners cannot obtain rifle ammunition, or face substantial difficulty in finding ammunition available and at reasonable prices because government entities are banning such ammunition, then the Second Amendment is at risk,” the senators wrote. 

Click here to read the letter in its entirety. 

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee led the letter that was also signed by Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) John Thune (R-ND); Cory Gardner (R-CO); Tom Cotton (R-AR); John Hoeven (R-ND); Joni Ernst (R-IA); David Vitter (R-LA); Michael Crapo (R-ID); Jerry Moran (R-KS.); David Perdue (R-GA); James Risch (R-ID); John Isakson (R-GA); Steve Daines (R-MT); Dean Heller (R-NV); Jim Inhofe (R-OK); Richard Burr (R-NC); Roy Blunt (R-MO); Lindsey Graham (R-SC); Bill Cassidy (R-LA); Mike Enzi (R-WY); Ted Cruz (R-TX); Thom Tillis (R-NC); Orrin Hatch (R-UT); Jeff Sessions (R-AL); James Lankford (R-OK); Richard Shelby (R-AL); Deb Fischer (R-NE); Thad Cochran (R-MS); Shelley Capito (R-WV); Pat Roberts (R-KS); Pat Toomey (R-PA); Lisa Murkowski (R-AK); John Cornyn (R-TX); Ron Johnson (R-WI); Michael Lee (R-UT); John Barrasso (R-WY); Marco Rubio (R- FL); Jeff Flake (R-AZ); Dan Coats (R-IN); Bob Corker (R-TN); Tim Scott (R-SC); Kelly Ayotte (R-NH); Ben Sasse (R-NE); Roger Wicker (R-MS); Mitch McConnell (R-KY); Lamar Alexander (R-TN); Rand Paul (R-KY); John McCain (R-AZ); Rob Portman (R-OH); and Dan Sullivan (R-AK). 

Click here to watch Boozman’s ‘From the Mailbag’ response to a constituent who wrote to the senator concerned about this proposal.

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