Senators seek to ease National Firearms Act burden

February 1, 2023

U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) on Tuesday introduced the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act, which will remove the taxation, registration and regulation requirements in the National Firearms Act (NFA).

Earlier this month, the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives (ATF) announced a final rule on pistol brace attachments requiring owners to register or remove the brace within 120-days. Failure to do so could result in up to 10 years in jail and a fine up to $250,000. The SHORT Act would prevent the ATF from enforcing this or other rules that infringe on Second Amendment rights.

“This Administration’s vendetta against lawful gun ownership is a gross violation of Constitutional rights," Risch said. "A federal gun registry has no place in America, yet this Administration is forcing millions of law-abiding Americans to either register these commonly owned firearms or become felons. With the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today Act, Congress can protect Idahoans from this unlawful registry by prohibiting the National Firearms Act from requiring registry, tax and regulations on their cherry-picked list of firearms.”

U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-Ark.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) also cosponsored the SHORT Act. A House companion bill has also been introduced.