Eric Burlison files his first legislation in Congress, attempting to repeal 1930s gun law
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U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison filed his first legislation as a freshman member of Congress this week, aimed at stripping out gun regulations approved in the 1930s.
The southwest Missouri Republican's "Repeal the NFA Act" would remove requirements under federal law to pay a $200 tax, register and undergo an application process to own certain firearms and accessories, including shotguns, rifles with certain length barrels, machine guns, and mufflers and silencers.
"The federal government has used the National Firearms Act for almost a century to violate law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment rights," Burlison said in a statement announcing the bill. "The recent ATF pistol brace rule is just another example of these blatant attacks on the constitutional rights of Americans. The ATF-NFA sham needs to end."
Burlison's bill comes a month after the U.S. Department of Justice submitted a new federal rule requiring stabilizing braces and other accessories, used to convert pistols into short-barreled rifles, to follow federal laws that govern those types of weapons, including the 1934 law. He has also co-sponsored legislation that would abolish the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF.
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His legislation is unlikely to see final passage, with Democrats remaining in control of the Senate and some members advocating for more strict gun safety laws in the wake of a string of mass shootings in California. It has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, which is chaired by fellow Missouri Republican U.S. Rep. Jason Smith.
Burlison, when he was a member of the Missouri legislature prior to his election to Congress, was a vocal supporter of several measures loosening the state's gun laws.
He was one of the lead sponsors for the Second Amendment Preservation Act, a 2021 bill that nullifies a number of federal gun laws and came under criticism by members of law enforcement who said it interfered with violent crime prevention and investigation efforts. Burlison has touted the bill as a nation-leading Second Amendment law.
Galen Bacharier covers Missouri politics & government for the News-Leader. Contact him at gbacharier@news-leader.com, (573) 219-7440 or on Twitter @galenbacharier.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Eric Burlison's first bill in Congress aims to repeal 1930s gun law
