Washington, D.C. (RELEASE) December 21st, 2023 — U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) in introducing the Protect American Gun Exporters Act. This bill comes in response to the Bureau of Industry and Security’s (BIS) recent 90-day pause on the issuance of new export licenses for firearms, ammunition and component parts to non-governmental users in most foreign countries. This legislation would protect the people of Wyoming’s Second Amendment rights, which are constantly under attack by the Biden administration.

“This administration has proved it will stop at nothing to erode the rights of people in Wyoming to keep and bear arms,” said Lummis. “This arbitrary pause is the latest example of the Biden administration’s gun-grabbing policies that seek to undermine the people of Wyoming’s constitutional rights and attack gun manufacturers. As a proud defender of our Second Amendment, I am partnering with Senator Lee to protect law-abiding citizens’ right to bear arms from this administration’s egregious and unfounded overreach.”

Click here to read the bill. 

Background: 

• On October 27, 2023, without prior consultation with industry stakeholders, the BIS enacted a sweeping and unprecedented pause on export licenses which could cost firearms manufacturers up to $90 million and result in job losses.
• The Protect American Gun Exporters Act would fight back against this egregious government overreach by:
  • Prohibiting the Secretary of Commerce from imposing blanket pauses on new export licenses for businesses selling firearms, ammunition and components to non-governmental end users abroad. 
  • Preventing the Secretary of Commerce from unilaterally implementing policy changes following the Commerce Department’s proposed “assessment” of current export controls on these products.