Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., has intensified efforts to dismantle the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and repeal the National Firearms Act (NFA), criticizing both infringing on Americans' constitutional rights by misusing taxpayer dollars, Breitbart reported.
Burlison shared his concerns via X: "The ATF uses your tax dollars to violate your constitutional rights. Does that sound like freedom to you?"
The congressman's comments are part of a broader campaign to repeal the National Firearms Act (NFA), a federal law enacted in 1934 to regulate certain Class III firearms and accessories, including suppressors, short-barreled shotguns and rifles, and machine guns.
Burlison and other critics argue that the NFA imposes unnecessary restrictions on law-abiding gun owners.
Under the NFA, individuals seeking to purchase regulated items must undergo a rigorous process. This includes submitting fingerprints and photographs, paying a $200 federal tax, passing an extended background check, and registering the firearm or accessory with the ATF. Burlison contends that these requirements represent undue burdens on exercising Second Amendment rights.
In a follow-up post on Monday, Burlison emphasized his stance, stating, "Gun control has always been about control, not safety. The NFA is a prime example of this, and we're working to take it down."
Proponents of the NFA argue that the law's provisions help regulate access to weapons capable of causing mass harm, such as fully automatic firearms.
The push to dismantle the ATF and repeal the NFA has faced significant opposition from gun control advocates who view these measures as critical to public safety.