A Republican congressman claimed on the House floor Tuesday that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) ban on pistol braces has made over 29 million Americans guilty of a felony.
Republican Alabama Rep. Barry Moore took the floor to criticize the Biden ATF rule, which was implemented on Jan. 31. The compliance date for the rule was May 31, effectively making anyone in violation of that rule guilty under ATF regulation.
“On May 31st at midnight, 29 million Americans became instant felons thanks to Biden’s weaponization of the ATF,” Moore said.
The ATF’s pistol brace rule turns 29 MILLION Americans into felons overnight.
We must halt this unconstitutional rule that seeks to disarm millions of disabled Americans, including many veterans, just for possessing legal firearms with stabilizing braces. pic.twitter.com/yeBsQ54k0Q
— Rep. Barry Moore (@RepBarryMoore) June 13, 2023
Moore was speaking in favor of a House resolution that would overturn the rule, The Hill reported.
President Joe Biden has threatened to veto the resolution.
“Even though Congressional Republicans should take additional action to keep these and other dangerous weapons off our streets, they are instead pushing a resolution to reverse this rule and the progress we have made to enforce existing statutory requirements on these dangerous weapons,” Biden said. (RELATED: Biden’s ATF Chief Doubles Down On His Lack Of Expertise On Firearms)
The rule reclassified pistols with stabilizing braces as short-barreled rifles and required anyone possessing a brace to register it with the government, according to The Hill.
Proud to stand on the House floor today in support of my colleague @Rep_Clyde‘s Resolution to block the ATF’s unconstitutional rule criminalizing pistol braces. pic.twitter.com/SXX9QVyozT
— Rep. Wesley Hunt Press Office (@RepWPH) June 13, 2023
Moore denounced the rule as a “weaponization of the ATF” that could force lawful gun owners to face “ten years in jail and thousands of dollars in fines.” He ended his speech by urging the House to pass the HJ Resolution 44, which would block the ATF’s new rule and render any legal consequences for violators null and void.