{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-demand-answers-to-biden-administrations-unprecedented-pause-of-firearms-export-licenses", "Crapo, Risch Demand Answers to Biden Administration\u2019s Unprecedented Pause of Firearms Export Licenses", "2023-11-17", "2023", "2023-11", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina) and 43 other Senators in a letter to Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce Gina Raimondo raising questions over the decision to pause for 90 days the issuance of export licenses for firearms, ammunition and certain accessories to most overseas markets. The decision was announced last month by the Bureau of Industry and Security. This unprecedented move is the latest chapter in the Biden Administration\u2019s hostility toward America\u2019s firearms industry.\n\nThe letter notes the impact this pause could have on \u201cU.S. commercial and economic interests\u201d which according to the firearms and ammunition industry has an estimated \u201cdirect cost of at least $89 million associated with the 90 day pause and at least $238 million annually should the pause become permanent.\u201d\n\n\u201c[F]irearms exports to non-government users in countries not covered by the exception constitute a significant percentage of overall U.S. firearm exports,\u201d the letter reads. \u201cThis pause puts at stake U.S. commercial and economic interests, as well as those business interests of firearm exporters whose pending exports are now subject to pause, in addition to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.\u201d\n\nCiting \u201csignificant concerns about the justifications for and ramifications of this pause\u201d and concerns that the \u201cunmet demand created by this action will promote opportunities for less scrupulous, professional, or conscientious sources of supply to fill the void, thereby strengthening illicit arms markets,\u201d the Senators are demanding a response to their inquiry by no later than November 30.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-demand-answers-to-biden-administrations-unprecedented-pause-of-firearms-export-licenses"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9279986843466759, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}