Home Defense and Competitive Shooting Act would remove short-barreled rifles from federal firearm regulations
Passing the legislation about short barrels will be a tall order.
Context
In April 2020, 460,544 short-barreled rifles were registered in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Short-barreled rifles, with barrels less than 16 inches, are regulated under the National Firearms Act, meaning they’re subject to greater restrictions and regulations than long-barreled rifles. That’s because shorter barrels are more dangerous because they can be more easily concealed in a jacket or bag.
What the legislation does
The Home Defense and Competitive Shooting Act would remove short-barreled rifles from that federal definition of “firearms.”
The House version was introduced on March 10 as H.R. 1758, by Tracey Mann (R-KS1). The Senate version was introduced a week later on March 17 as S. 803, by Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS).
What supporters say
Supporters argue that the legislation lives up to the creed of the Bill of Rights.
“The right to bear arms granted to Americans under the U.S. Constitution is foundational to our country,” Rep. Mann said in a press release. “Our Constitutional rights make America exceptional, and I will stand up against any efforts to diminish or weaken them. I am eager to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation and protecting the rights of law-abiding Americans to own, carry, and use firearms.”
“Opponents of the Second Amendment want to use bureaucracy and regulations to obstruct citizens attempting to exercise their God-given right to keep and bear arms,” Sen. Marshall said in a separate press release. “The firearms addressed in the [legislation] are commonly used for hunting, personal defense, and competitive shooting. This bill will eliminate regulations designed not to protect Americans, but to deny them their Constitutional rights.”
What opponents say
Opponents counter that, if anything, the U.S. should go in the opposite direction and classify more weapons as short-barreled rifles under federal law.
“The Boulder gunman [legally] bought an AR-15 pistol days before opening fire. An AR-15 pistol looks like an AR-15 rifle and shoots rounds like one too,” gun safety organization Giffords wrote in March after a mass shooter killed 10 people in a Colorado grocery store. “But in the eyes of the federal government it’s just a ‘pistol.’ Wondering why?”
“An AR-15 pistol functions just like a short-barrel rifle. Short-barrel rifles are strictly regulated under the National Firearms Act because they’re easy to conceal and can penetrate bullet proof vests worn by police,” Giffords continued. “But guess what? AR-15 pistols aren’t regulated under the NFA.”
“Gun manufacturers specifically modified and designed AR-15 and AK-47 pistols to sidestep NFA regulation of short-barrel rifles. These weapons escape the NFA’s definition of short-barreled rifles because they aren’t designed to be fired from the shoulder,” Giffords added. “Ultimately, this doesn’t matter. AR-15 pistols present a similar — if not identical — threat to public safety due to their short length and bullet size. They have no place on our streets.”
Odds of passage
A 2019 House version attracted 25 cosponsors, all Republicans, but never received a committee vote in the Democratic-controlled chamber. The current House version has attracted a slightly smaller 22 cosponsors, all Republicans. It awaits a potential vote in either the House Judiciary or Ways and Means Committee.
The Senate version has attracted four cosponsors, all Republicans. It awaits a potential vote in the Senate Finance Committee.
Odds of passage are low in the Democratic-controlled Congress.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
This article was written by GovTrack Insider staff writer Jesse Rifkin.
Want more? Follow GovTrack by email, on Twitter, and for our “A Bill a Minute” video series — on Instagram, or on YouTube.
Like our analyses? Support our work on Patreon.
