The role of the gun industry in America’s gun violence epidemic.
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The Gun Machine
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is supposed to regulate the gun industry. The seventh episode of The Gun Machine explores the gun lobby’s efforts to impede the agency.
ATF
The injunction is unlikely to prevent the ATF from enforcing the rule nationally after a grace period that ended May 31.
The documents included a list of manufacturers and distributors the agency planned to inspect, according to court records.
The legislation was prompted by a 2022 investigation by The Trace and VICE News.
Fully automatic weapons are highly regulated, but the agency has recovered a startling number of machine gun conversion devices in recent years.
Off Target
New data suggests inspectors have cracked down after the Biden administration asked the agency to implement a “zero tolerance” policy on lawbreaking gun dealers last June.
How We Fix This
Lawmakers are clamoring for action on auto sears. History leaves clues about what approach the agency might take.
Citing an investigation by The Trace and USA TODAY, federal lawmakers are requesting more detailed data on the agency's efforts to inspect and discipline lawbreaking gun dealers.
An internal report urged the ATF to open up its exclusive contract. Instead the contract was renewed, and several ATF officials went to work for the contractor.
For more than a decade, agencies have flouted a state law requiring them to use a tool that policing experts say can help reduce gun violence.
David Chipman vowed to continue to advocate for effective gun regulation after he said the White House left him defenseless against a swirl of misinformation and personal attacks.
Chipman's nomination hinged on the decision of Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine. Without King's support, he lacked the votes.
Former agent David Chipman has faced a steady drumbeat of allegations since his nomination in April.
If adopted, the rule would require brace owners to apply to the NFA Division, which has long been understaffed and routinely misses its own performance benchmarks.
The Keeping Gun Dealers Honest Act, introduced by House Democrats, would make it easier for the ATF to shut down sellers who break federal regulations.
