WASHINGTON – On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) joined U.S. Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and 44 of their Republican Senate colleagues in a letter to Department of Commerce (DOC) Secretary, Gina Raimondo, raising questions over last month’s decision by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to impose a 90-day pause on the issuance of export licenses for firearms, ammunition, and certain accessories to most overseas markets. This unprecedented move is the latest chapter in the Biden administration’s hostility towards America’s firearms industry.

The letter notes the impact this pause could have on U.S. commercial and economic interests, which, according to the firearms and ammunition industry, would directly cost at least $89 million for the 90-day pause and at least $238 million annually should the pause become permanent.

The senators are demanding a response to their inquiry by no later than November 30.

Joining Sens. Johnson and Budd are Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), and Senators John Barrasso, M.D. (R-Wyo.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Jim Risch (R-Ind.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), John Kennedy (R-La.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Rand Paul, M.D. (R-Ky.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

Full text of the letter can be found here. 

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