Statement from Americans for Responsible Solutions and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence on Leaked “White Paper” that Undermines ATF Investigations and Threatens Public Safety

February 10, 2017 – Americans for Responsible Solutions, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Navy combat veteran and NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly, and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence today responded to a leaked “white paper” from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which outlined a plan for the Trump administration that prioritizes commerce over public safety.

“With more than 30,000 Americans killed every year by guns, the last thing our country needs is the systematic weakening of our existing gun safety laws,” said Americans for Responsible Solutions Senior Policy Advisor and retired 25 year ATF veteran David Chipman. “Turk’s leaked proposal not only contains a number of positions that would endanger both ATF investigative efforts and ordinary Americans, but also indicates regulatory capture by a gun lobby willing to put profits ahead of safety.”

“Despite this administration’s efforts to dictate policy well outside of its jurisdiction, the legal community has already made it clear that it will aggressively confront the administration’s unlawful actions at every turn,” said Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence Executive Director Robyn Thomas. “That same vigilance goes for gun safety, and should the administration act beyond its legal authority to enact these irresponsible and dangerous policies, we will use the courts to hold the administration’s feet to the fire.”