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Firearms Export Oversight
In 2018, the Trump administration proposed new rules allowing for semiautomatic weapons, ammunition, and other firearms commercially available in the United States to be moved from the U.S. Munitions List (USML) of the Department of State, where sales of over $1 million are subject to Congressional scrutiny, to the Commerce Control List (CCL) of the Department of Commerce, where there is no such requirement.The new rules were published on January 23, 2020, but currently face a legal challenge from multiple states attorneys general. Legislation to block the changes was been put forward in 2019, including in the House-passed version of the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) -- although not included in the final compromise NDAA.
Experts to contact*: Jeff Abramson (Arms Control Association), John Lindsay-Poland (Stop US Arms to Mexico), William Hartung (Center for International Policy)
* These experts are available to discuss this issue and may have additional/alternate assessments. Inclusion on the Forum on the Arms Trade expert list does not indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of others, or the endorsement of any candidate for political office.
Methodology note: A candidate's position is considered to be "unknown" if they have not issued an explicit statement of support for State Department oversight of the specific categories of weapons and ammunition covered by the administration's proposed regulatory changes. Several Democratic candidates who serve or served in Congress have cosponsored legislation, such as the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019 (House, Senate) and past versions of the same bill, that would make it illegal to "import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess" assault weapons "in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce". While this bill would prevent the sale of some of the weapons relevant to this issue, it does not address the rule itself, nor touch on the roles of the State/Commerce Departments or Congress.
Experts to contact*: Jeff Abramson (Arms Control Association), John Lindsay-Poland (Stop US Arms to Mexico), William Hartung (Center for International Policy)
* These experts are available to discuss this issue and may have additional/alternate assessments. Inclusion on the Forum on the Arms Trade expert list does not indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of others, or the endorsement of any candidate for political office.
Methodology note: A candidate's position is considered to be "unknown" if they have not issued an explicit statement of support for State Department oversight of the specific categories of weapons and ammunition covered by the administration's proposed regulatory changes. Several Democratic candidates who serve or served in Congress have cosponsored legislation, such as the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019 (House, Senate) and past versions of the same bill, that would make it illegal to "import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess" assault weapons "in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce". While this bill would prevent the sale of some of the weapons relevant to this issue, it does not address the rule itself, nor touch on the roles of the State/Commerce Departments or Congress.
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