Biden Administration Targets Gun Show Loophole

Aiden Starling

Updated Thursday, April 11, 2024 at 6:14 AM CDT

Biden Administration Targets Gun Show Loophole

In a landmark move to tighten gun control, the Biden administration has announced a new rule set to close the notorious "gun show loophole," requiring thousands more firearms dealers to conduct background checks on buyers, regardless of selling location. The rule, part of the administration's comprehensive strategy to combat gun violence in the U.S., will significantly expand the definition of a "firearms dealer" and is expected to affect over 20,000 previously unlicensed dealers.

President Joe Biden has emphasized that the new regulation will play a crucial role in keeping firearms away from domestic abusers and felons. It mandates that individuals predominantly selling guns for profit must obtain a federal license and perform background checks, a move aimed towards universal background checks.

The administration's commitment to gun violence prevention has been further underscored by the creation of the first-ever White House office dedicated to the issue, headed by Vice President Kamala Harris. Alongside this, Biden has been vocal in his push for a ban on assault weapons and has called on Congress for more stringent gun laws.

This expansion of gun control measures has garnered support from advocacy groups like Moms Demand Action while drawing criticism and the prospect of legal challenges from industry groups such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation. However, administration officials are confident that the rule, which garnered over 380,000 public comments, will hold up against any legal scrutiny.

ATF Director Steve Dettelbach has stated that the rule, expected to impact an estimated 23,000 additional individuals, will not infringe on Second Amendment rights and is not designed to negatively affect law-abiding licensed firearms dealers. In light of new ATF data linking over 68,000 illegally trafficked firearms to unlicensed dealers, officials, including Attorney General Merrick Garland, have stressed the importance of this "historic step" in saving lives and fighting gun violence.

The rule also addresses the "fire-sale loophole," detailing how dealers who go out of business should handle their inventory. This move comes after years of resistance from Republicans to similar proposals, notably during President Barack Obama's term in 2016.

Vice President Harris has announced the establishment of a national resource center to support states in implementing red flag laws. The Biden administration has been taking unilateral steps to tighten gun laws, signaling to voters their commitment to action against gun violence, a promise that became even more pressing following the bipartisan gun violence bill passed in response to the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting.

The new rule, which will take effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, is expected to face criticism from gun rights advocates but represents a determined effort by the Biden administration to ensure all gun sales are subject to licensing and background checks, irrespective of the venue or sales method.

Conservative Bias:

In a blatant attack on our Second Amendment freedoms, the Biden administration is shamelessly t****ling on the rights of law-abiding Americans with their draconian new rule to close the so-called "gun show loophole." This is nothing but a thinly veiled attempt by gun-grabbing liberals to control and restrict the constitutional rights of honest citizens. They're expanding the definition of "firearms dealer" to an absurd degree, ensnaring thousands of patriots who simply wish to exercise their God-given rights. And let's not overlook the creation of a new White House office—headed by none other than Kamala Harris—dedicated to eroding our gun rights. It's clear: this administration will stop at nothing to undermine our freedoms, and it's up to every red-blooded American to stand up against this tyrannical overreach.

Liberal Bias:

Once again, we see the courageous Biden administration taking a stand against the gun lobby and their conservative enablers with a groundbreaking rule to close the notorious "gun show loophole." For too long, these gun show merchants of death have exploited this loophole to sell firearms without background checks, putting weapons in the hands of domestic abusers and felons. Finally, we have a President and a Vice President who are willing to fight the good fight, despite the incessant obstruction from Republicans who care more about the profits of the gun industry than the lives of our children. This historic move to expand background checks is a testament to the administration's commitment to saving lives and addressing the epidemic of gun violence that conservatives have ignored for far too long.

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