Friday, in a case backed by Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the Gun Owners Foundation (GOF), the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the expansive doctrine of Chevron Deference, which was established by the Court four decades prior. Under this precedent, federal agencies were given deference by the courts when their rules interpreted vague or ambiguous statutory language from Congress. GOA and GOF led a large coalition in filing an amicus brief in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo.
Under the new precedent established today, it shall be solely the role of the courts to resolve questions related to agency interpretation of law. As Chief Justice Roberts explained in his opinion for the Court, “agencies have no special competence in resolving statutory ambiguities. Courts do.”
In the amicus brief, GOA and GOF argued that Chevron was unconstitutional because it vested legislative and judicial power within Executive Branch agencies. In turn these powers, which were designed to be held by separate, branches of government, are often combined together, handed to bureaucrats, and used to strip Americans of their freedoms. Much of today’s ruling agreed with this argument.
Erich Pratt, GOA’s Senior Vice President, issued the following statement:
“For four decades, presidents of both parties weaponized the wide authority given to them by Chevron Deference – and gun owners were commonly the victim.
“Today we celebrate, as this is a massive win for gun owners and all those concerned about the growth in the federal bureaucracy. Chevron Deference was the means by which the Trump-era Bump Stock Ban survived for over 5 years before its recent demise, and it also emboldened the current Biden Administration when rolling out their comprehensive, illegal re-write of multiple federal gun control statutes.
“Laws are written by our elected representatives, not unelected bureaucrats, and today’s ruling restores that constitutional balance.”
Sam Paredes, on behalf of the Board for GOF, added:
“This is an incredibly encouraging ruling, and without a doubt will bolster our arguments in many of our ongoing legal cases. This opinion, coupled with Bruen from two years ago, gives us the thunder and lightning we need to beat back the aggressive anti-gun agenda of the rogue Biden Administration.”
GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit, grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.
