Banning American Gun Exports

April 28, 2024 by Mike McDaniel

The Biden Administration has become quickly and justly infamous for damaging American industry in every way possible. If there’s a way to make it difficult or impossible for Americans to make lawful products or provide lawful services, if there’s a way for them to force American manufacturing out of America and into the waiting arms of our enemies, they’ve discovered and implemented it. This is nowhere as true as in the energy and firearm sectors.

Graphic: Lake City Army Ammunition Plant Pallet.

 

This morning [04-25-24], a briefing will be held by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) for ‘the Hill’ regarding their interim rule regarding the ‘pause’ on the issuance of new government licenses for firearms, related components and ammunition for ‘nongovernmental end users.’ 

The Outdoor Wire has learned the Commerce Department plans to make that “pause” on the issuance of new export licenses for firearms, related components and ammunition permanent.

America makes among the finest firearms, related components and ammunition in the world, and the American firearm industry has long enjoyed excellent profits on such sales. Our government, however, has determined that sort of thing absolutely must stop!  “That sort of thing” would amount to around $240 million in annual profits—s conservative estimate--American manufacturers would lose. We can be certain other nations, many of them our enemies, will be glad to gain those profits.

The “pause” has already put a financial hurt on many smaller producers in the industry. One machine company in Tennessee has already closed, putting ten people out of work. Company owners attribute the business closure to the Biden “pause” that stopped a major contract for more than $6.5 million worth of components to a single gun company.

That isn’t the only company the “pause” has hurt. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) aren’t impressed:

According to industry experts, the 90-day pause implemented by the Commerce Department is likely to cost American businesses hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue. The Department’s pause on issuing new export licenses for firearms comes at the very same time that the Department has loosened restrictions on exporting products controlled under the Chemical Weapons Convention and Missile Technology Control Regime. It is difficult, therefore, for us to conclude that the Commerce Department’s pause on issuing new licenses is truly motivated by a desire to promote U.S. national security. 

Apparently responsible for this newest anti-American debacle is the new White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. How damaging American companies whose products are sold overseas would in any way prevent American “gun violence”—a ridiculous misnomer--remains unknowable.As with every other anti-business regulation imposed by Biden’s handlers, firearm manufacturers aren’t the only American who suffer. Every company that provides the components and raw materials for those manufacturers is hurt, as are all of the local stores and other service providers patronized by the employees of those suppliers. In addition, the transportation industry, vital in maintaining our supply chains, loses business and profits.

This follows a recent, and ongoing, attempt by leftist anti-liberty/gun cracktivists to shut down the Army’s historic Lake City munitions plant. Why would they want to shut down a plant essential to our military? Lake City is also able to make a profit for Americans by selling excess ammunition on the commercial market. Considering the Administration is freely supplying Ukraine, and to a lesser degree, Israel, it would seem counterintuitive to close any munitions plant supplying our military and allies. Counterintuitive, that is, unless the Administration’s true goals had little or nothing to do with America’s economic and national security.

One question is worth asking again and again: if the Administration was actively trying to help our enemies damage America, what would they be doing differently?

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.