ThinkingAfield.org

BELLEVUE, Wash. —— The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) announced support for the proposed Department of Justice rights restoration rule submitted today and is encouraged to see a process for firearms rights restoration begin to materialize.

Since 1968, federal law provided a pathway for federal firearms rights restoration, which up until 1993, ATF regularly granted. Unfortunately, in 1992, Congress passed the first of many appropriation riders that prohibited the use of any money appropriated to ATF for use in conducting federal firearms relief determinations. The proposed rulemaking, combined with the Attorney General’s interim rule rescinding the delegation of authority to ATF to conduct these determinations, finally provides a process for many eligible nonviolent offenders to have their rights restored.

The Department of Justice estimates that one million applicants are expected to take advantage of this new pathway back to the Second Amendment in the first year. Read more

TRENTON, N.J. — As part of its nationwide effort to eliminate bans on constitutionally protected arms, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) today filed a Second Amendment lawsuit, Firearms Policy Coalition, et al. v. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, et al., challenging New Jersey’s total prohibition on “short-barreled rifles” (SBRs), defined in state law as those with a barrel shorter than 16 inches or an overall length under 26 inches.

“This exciting and critically important lawsuit builds on FPC’s landmark victory against New Jersey’s AR-15 ban, along with our recent wins against arms bans in states like California and Illinois,” said FPC President Brandon Combs. “Supreme Court precedent makes clear that arms in common use for lawful purposes—like the rifles at issue here—are fully protected by the Second Amendment. We are excited to work towards eliminating this ban so you can exercise your rights when, where, and how you choose.” Read more

The Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and the federal government agreed to a joint dismissal of the government’s appeal in our Mock v. Bondi lawsuit, a case that successfully challenged the Biden ATF’s “pistol brace” ban rule and secured injunctive relief for gun owners while the case was being litigated to final judgment, which completely vacated the rule.

“Today is a great day for freedom and the American people,” said Firearms Policy Coalition President Brandon Combs. “The dismissal of this appeal should be the final nail in the coffin of this unconstitutional Biden ATF assault on gun owners. As we explained in the case filings, braced pistols are not ‘short-barreled rifles’. But either way, they are unquestionably arms protected under the Second Amendment. We are thrilled to have secured this important win for liberty and excited to take on even more unconstitutional laws so you can exercise your rights when, where, and how you choose.”

“The government is finally retreating from the Biden Administration’s patently unlawful effort to turn millions of peaceable people into felons by decree,” said FPC Action Foundation President Cody J. Wisniewski, an attorney for the challengers. “This horrible rule was a perversion of our system of limited government, so we’re glad to see this case resolved in favor of liberty and the rule of law.” Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, a coalition of six leading gun rights organizations comprised of the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), American Suppressor Association (ASA), National Rifle Association (NRA), Safari Club International (SCI), Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs (ANJRPC) and the New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate (NJFOS) announced the filing of a joint federal lawsuit in the District of New Jersey challenging the state of New Jersey’s unconstitutional ban on firearm suppressors. Read more