President Obama has threatened to veto this appropriations bill because, among other things, it limits the gun control authority of ATF.
Yes, bring it on. I’d prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around!
“Preventing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives from requiring licensed firearms dealers in four border States to report information on the sale of multiple rifles or shotguns to the same person would hamper efforts to address the problem of illegal gun trafficking along the Southwest Border and in Mexico,” the Executive Office of the President said in a statement on the legislation.
Clearly the White House believes this is good ground to fight us on. Let’s see what else Obama might threaten to veto in this election year.
Why is a bill even needed in the first place? Isn’t it already pretty clear in our current law that ATF lacks the power to require multiple long gun purchase reporting as things already stand?
At least one court has ruled otherwise. So now it’s a matter of Congress having to act.
Not a huge fan of Rehberg, but pushing on this bill make get him my vote.
“I don’t know who you are or where you came from, but from now on you’ll do as I tell you, okay?”
(Explainer)
From the western end of Pennsylvania Avenue, this isn’t about guns, per se, but about executive branch power. How dare Congress limit what an executive branch agency do in its bailiwick, &c.
These are His People, his chosen lieutenants, doing what they have determined is Right. Congress should not be interfering.
Note that Justice its not the only high-profile example of this in this administration. Transportation Secretary proposal to ban portable electronics use in the front seat of cars federally represents similar high-handedness.
Also, another example of Constitutional Munchkinism. The current administration is well beyond rules-lawyering now.