Menendez: I’ll shoot down attempts to weaken gun export laws
Democratic senator Bob Menendez, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says that he has written to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressing his concern ‘about a proposal to drastically weaken firearms export regulations, and announcing he will not allow the proposed rules to move forward unless the State Department fully addresses the dangerous and far-reaching implications of this proposal prior to its taking effect.’
The proposed rule would amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (‘ITAR’) to revise Categories I (firearms, close assault weapons and combat shotguns), II (guns and armament), and III (ammunition and ordnance) of the US Munitions List (‘USML’) ‘to describe more precisely the articles warranting export and temporary import control on the USML. Items removed from the USML would become subject to the Export Administration Regulations (‘EAR’).’
Menendez said: ‘[Firearms] are easily modified, diverted, and proliferated, and are the primary means of injury, death, and destruction in civil and military conflicts throughout the world. As such, they should be subject to more, not less, rigorous export controls and oversight.’
His office says that he ‘would refuse to consent to formal congressional notification of the proposed transfer until the Trump administration is more forthcoming in responding to his questions and concerns. Specifically, Menendez listed his concerns that all Congressional oversight and right of disapproval over firearms sales to countries of concern would be eliminated, despite Congress tightening such oversight under law; and that Commerce has admitted that it will not control or prevent the global internet publication of 3D printing of nearly-undetectable guns by terrorist groups, a real danger to American embassies, military bases, and passenger air carriers abroad.’
See:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/05/24/2018-10366/international-traffic-in-arms-regulations-us-munitions-list-categories-i-ii-and-iii
