Spurred by the Biden Administration’s redefining braced pistols as short-barreled rifles (SBRs), placing them under the auspices of the National Firearms Act (NFA), a U.S. Congressman and a U.S. Senator have filed companion bills in Congress to remove short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and so-called “any other weapons (AOWs)” from NFA regulation.
Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Georgia, introduced the House version of the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles, or SHORT, Act, while U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, introduced the Senate companion act.
The measure states: “In the case of any registration or licensing requirement under State or local law with respect to a short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, or any other weapon (as defined in section 5845(e)) which is determined by reference to the National Firearms Act, any person who acquires or possesses such rifle, shotgun, or other weapon in accordance with chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, shall be treated as meeting any such registration or licensing requirement with respect to such rifle, shotgun, or other weapon.”
“The Biden-Harris Administration dangerously weaponized the draconian National Firearms Act to further infringe on Americans’ Second Amendment liberties,” Clyde said in a news release announcing the measure. “Yet the American people overwhelmingly rejected the Left’s unconstitutional tactics and backdoor gun control in November. It’s now time for Congress to use this mandate to protect Americans’ unalienable, constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Deregulating SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs is the most effective way to ensure American gun owners are not subjected to unlawful and unnecessary restrictions, taxation, and registration of firearms or pistol braces. I’m proud to partner with Senator Marshall in the fight to defeat this Biden-era rule and safeguard Americans’ Second Amendment freedoms.”
Sen. Marshall said he hopes the measure starts “rolling back” some of the damage the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) did during Biden’s time in office.
“‘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,” Sen. Marshall said. “The SHORT Act takes a step toward rolling back nonsensical regulations that the National Firearms Act has placed upon gun owners. I challenge my colleagues in both chambers to pass this legislation and join me in fully restoring and protecting our God-given Second Amendment rights.”
As expected, a number of gun-rights groups, including Gun Owners of America (GOA), have thrown their full support behind the measure.
“The Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act will repeal elements of the archaic National Firearms Act, which the Biden ATF abused to justify their unconstitutional pistol brace ban—a policy change that affects millions of law-abiding gun owners and does nothing to curb rising crime,” said Aidan Johnston, GOA director of federal affairs. “GOA is proud to support the SHORT Act, which will repeal archaic short barrel restrictions from the National Firearms Act of 1934 and prevent them from ever being weaponized against the American people ever again.”
In total, 45 House members from districts around the country co-sponsored the act, showing the widespread disdain for the Biden Administration’s actions in reinterpreting the NFA.
