The number of new gun owners in the United States has surged to over 22.3 million since 2020, according to a report by the National Sports Shooting Foundation (NSSF). This surge is attributed to factors such as COVID-19 lockdowns, concerns for personal safety, and government regulations. The influx of new gun owners could have an impact on upcoming elections.
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle expressed their views on gun laws during an interview with Fox News Digital. While they agreed that existing gun laws should be enforced, they differed on whether additional restrictions should be implemented. Republicans generally opposed new restrictions, arguing that existing laws should be enforced more stringently. Democrats, on the other hand, supported measures such as assault weapons bans and universal background checks. The discussion highlighted the ongoing debate over gun control in the United States.
Amidst the implementation of new gun export regulations and other Biden administration actions perceived as hostile towards gun rights, a Texas Republican has introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives. The resolution highlights support for the Second Amendment and opposes efforts by the Biden administration to undermine it. It specifically disapproves of President Biden’s executive orders on gun control, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) administrative rule changes restricting Americans’ firearm rights, and the Bureau of Industry and Security’s policies limiting lawful firearm exports. The resolution has garnered support from several gun rights organizations, including the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).
A federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked a new rule from the Biden administration that would force gun dealers to conduct background checks and secure licenses when selling firearms at shows and other venues outside traditional gun stores. The order from U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo will remain in effect until June 2 and covers Texas and members of gun rights groups, including the Gun Owners of America. The states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Utah were not granted relief at this stage of litigation. The judge ruled that the new rule contradicts the language of the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and does not allow people who buy or sell guns for personal protection to be eligible for a licensing requirement exemption. President Biden previously stated that the rule will “keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and felons.”
Republican presidential candidate has pledged to unravel gun regulations put in place by Democratic President during a speech to the National Rifle Association on Saturday, during which he accepted the influential group’s endorsement. The former president addressed thousands of members at the group’s annual Leadership Forum in Dallas, urging gun supporters to vote in the November election. Trump also repeated his pledge to fire the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Day One of a potential administration.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the Biden administration to block new requirements for gun sales. Paxton argues that the new ATF regulation would subject hundreds of thousands of law-abiding gun owners to presumptions of criminal guilt for engaging in the constitutionally protected private sale of firearms. The lawsuit was filed jointly with Kansas AG Kris Kobach. Paxton’s reference to “come and take it” runs deep in Texas state history. The phrase became a symbol of Texas pride and resilience during the Battle of Gonzales in 1835, when a small group of colonists defied Mexican rule. The new ATF policy would require people who sell guns primarily for profit to register as licensed dealers, regardless of where the transactions take place, requiring them to do background checks.
In the wake of recent school shootings, Republican-controlled legislatures in Tennessee and Iowa have passed laws allowing teachers and school staff to carry concealed handguns on campus. These measures, supported by the National Rifle Association, are met with fierce opposition from gun control advocates, who argue that arming teachers does not address the root cause of school shootings: access to guns. While the laws claim to prioritize school safety, critics warn of the dangers of creating a ‘guns everywhere culture’ and question the lack of transparency surrounding who is armed on campus.
The Supreme Court is set to rule on a case involving ghost guns, which could potentially weaken federal gun laws. Ghost guns are weapons that are sold dismantled and in ready-to-assemble kits, and are not subject to the same background checks and serial number requirements as traditional firearms. The Court has already heard the case twice on its “shadow docket” and ruled against gun manufacturers seeking to weaken federal law, but the outcome of the current ruling is not certain.
The Tennessee House of Representatives has approved a controversial bill that would allow some teachers and staff to carry concealed handguns on public school grounds. The 68-28 vote in favor of the bill sends it to Republican Gov. Bill Lee for consideration. It would be the biggest expansion of gun access in the state since last year’s deadly shooting at a private elementary school in Nashville. The bill, which the state Senate previously passed, would bar disclosing which employees are carrying guns beyond school administrators and police, including to students’ parents and even other teachers.
In a controversial move, the Tennessee House of Representatives approved a bill that would permit specific school employees to carry concealed handguns on public school grounds. Despite protests and objections from the public and Democratic lawmakers, the bill passed by a 68-28 vote, and now awaits the consideration of Republican Governor Bill Lee. If signed into law, this would mark the most significant expansion of gun access in the state since the tragic school shooting in Nashville last year. However, it remains unclear if any school districts intend to implement the new policy.
