Chambana Sun

U.S. Rep. Representative Mary Miller (R-IL) joined those celebrating as the House narrowly approves vote on HJRes44 which blocks the ATF requirement to register all guns with attached stabilizing braces.

"Today, I proudly voted to repeal Biden's pistol brace gun ban, which the ATF is using to criminalize millions of law-abiding gun owners," the congresswoman said on Twitter. "Disabled veterans rely on stabilizing braces and have a fundamental right to keep and bear arms that 'shall not be infringed.' #2A."

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) passed a rule in January of 2023 that would require pistols with stabilizing braces to be registered as short barrel rifles, a heavily regulated form of firearm, the Washington Examiner reported. This was one of many gun regulations that came out of the Biden Administration after a 2021 mass shooting. When it was finalized by the ATF on January 31st, they gave a deadline of May 31st for all gun owners who had a pistol with such a brace to register their firearm, not required for pistols, the story said. If they did not, they could face up to 10 years in prison or a $10,000 fine with the felony charge.

There was huge backlash, with many firearms groups and Republican legislators calling the rule unconstitutional and an infringement of citizens’ rights, Fox News reported. Many also cited the number of veterans or those with disabilities who use such additions to be able to use their firearms. The Biden Administration claimed such braces were too dangerous and too often used in mass shootings to continue unregulated. The bill faced a lot of opposition and blocks along the way, with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals blocking the rule in May, Fox said.

The ATF published the rule, saying it had amended the definition of a rifle to say “that the term 'designed, redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder' includes a weapon that is equipped with an accessory, component or other rearward attachment (e.g., a 'stabilizing brace') that provides surface area that allows the weapon to be fired from the shoulder, provided other factors, as listed in the definition, indicate the weapon is designed and intended to be fired from the shoulder.”

The agency said that other braces meant to aid in disability use would not fall under this category.

U.S. Rep.  Andrew Clyde (R-GA) introduced H.J.Res.44 in March as legislation to oppose and counteract the ATF’s rule. The resolution “nullifies the rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives titled Factoring Criteria for Firearms With Attached ‘Stabilizing Braces.’” The resolution passed as a joint bill in the House on June 13, with a vote of 219-210 in favor.

"Biden's ATF is enforcing an illegal & unconstitutional pistol brace rule that the ATF Director COULD NOT EXPLAIN TO CONGRESS." Miller tweeted before the vote, encouraging all law makers to vote against it. "Biden's goal is to erase the 2A & arrest gun owners. I am voting to REPEAL the pistol brace rule, the Senate must repeal this too!"