{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-joins-introduction-of-atf-accountability-act", "Hoeven Joins Introduction of ATF Accountability Act", "2023-12-19", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ND", "John Hoeven", "H001061", "www.hoeven.senate.gov", "hoeven", "https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Hoeven Joins Introduction of ATF Accountability Act\n\nLegislation Would Protect 2nd Amendment Against Federal Overreach, Provide Transparency on ATF Rulings\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Senator John Hoeven joined Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.) in introducing legislation to provide transparency on rulings made by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and establish a formal appeals process. Currently:\n\nThe ATF engages in a secretive classification review process to determine whether a particular firearm is regulated by the National Firearms Act.\n\nJustifications for decisions are often only made available to manufacturers in private correspondence, creating uncertainty for both gun-owning Americans and firearm manufacturers.\n\nContrary to regular administrative procedure, gun manufacturers have no way to appeal if they believe that a classification decision was reached in error or is not reflective of a comprehensive review.\n\nAccordingly, the ATF Accountability Act:\n\nCreates an appeals process for firearm classification or legal status determinations made by the ATF, with specific timeframe requirements.\n\nPermits gun manufacturers to make appeals to the Director of Industry Operations with jurisdiction, after which, the appeal is directed to an administrative law judge.\n\n\u201cOur legislation would better protect the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans from federal overreach and provide an important check on the ATF\u2019s classification process,\u201d said Senator Hoeven.\n\n\u201cAmerican gun owners and manufacturers have been left in the dark for far too long with closed-door rule changes by the ATF,\u201d said Senator Braun. \u201cAmericans exercising their Second Amendment rights shouldn\u2019t be the last to know the classification status of firearms, or what licenses or tax stamps they need to avoid running afoul of the law. The ATF needs accountability and transparency, which this bill accomplishes.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Hoeven and Braun, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Rick Scott (R-Fla.). The full text of the legislation can be found here.\n\n-###-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"]], "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.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-joins-introduction-of-atf-accountability-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.408482901751995, "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"}