The United States Commerce Department has never taken such sweeping actions on firearms exportations until now. Citing national security and foreign policy interests, the Department announced Friday that the U.S. will stop issuing export licenses for most civilians firearms and ammunition for 90 days or all non-governmental users.
Reuters reports that the Commerce Department declined to comment beyond the announcement posted on its website. No additional details were provided on the halt, which also includes shotguns and optical sights, but said an urgent review will assess the “risk of firearms being diverted to entities or activities that promote regional instability, violate human rights, or fuel criminal activities.”
Export licenses for Ukraine and Israel, as well as some other close allies, will be exempted from the temporary halt in exports. Overseas customers include distributors and stores that sell firearms. Exporters can continue to submit license requests during the pause, but they will be “held without action” until the pause is lifted, adds Reuters.
Commerce said the pause does not affect previously issued export licenses. For shipments to government clients, exporters must name specific end users, while applications with unnamed government, military, and police users will be “returned without action.”
Reuters quotes Johanna Reeves, a lawyer who specializes in export controls and firearms with the law firm Reeves & Dola in Washington. The halt covers most of the guns and ammunition that could be purchased in a U.S. gun store, said Reeves. She also said she had not seen the Commerce Department take such a sweeping action like this before. “For sure they have individual country policies – but nothing like this,” she said.
