Key Points:
- Democratic lawmakers proposed the “Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act of 2023,” which would impose further restrictions on ammunition sales by blocking online sales of ammunition and issuing new guidance for brick-and-mortar stores.
- Under the bill, ammunition dealers would need to receive updated licenses and confirm the identity of any customer who attempts to purchase ammunition, and online sales will be blocked.
- The proposed bill also requires bulk purchases to be reported, with any retailer who sells over 1,000 rounds to a single customer required to report the purchase.
Democratic lawmakers in the United States are seeking further restrictions on ammunition sales to American citizens. The “Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act of 2023,” introduced in late January, would block online sales of ammunition and issue new guidance for brick-and-mortar stores. The proposed bill would require ammunition dealers to receive updated licenses and confirm the identity of any customer who attempts to purchase ammunition. Online sales of ammunition would be blocked, and bulk purchases must be reported, with any retailer who sells over 1,000 rounds to a single customer required to report the purchase.
The bill was introduced by Democratic New Jersey Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman, along with 23 House Democrats who co-signed the legislation. The lawmaker is backed by Michael Bloomberg’s anti-gun group Everytown for Gun Safety. Watson Coleman highlighted gun violence as a primary reason for introducing the bill. However, the proposal has sparked controversy, with many Americans seeing it as an infringement of their Second Amendment rights.
A small, family-owned company, Fenix Ammunition, which manufactures ammunition in the United States, believes that the proposed bill is expected, saying they were not surprised that “our lawmakers would set their sights on ammunition.” Fenix Ammunition CEO Justin Nazaroff told the Daily Caller News Foundation that they are confident any efforts to restrict ammunition sales at the Federal level will be struck down in the post-Bruen era. He added that the company is doing everything it can to fundraise efforts to challenge existing restrictions in places like California and New York.
The proposed bill is another move in a longstanding debate in the US over the balance between Second Amendment rights and gun control. While Democrats are proposing restrictions, Republicans and gun rights advocates argue that responsible gun ownership is a constitutional right and that current laws are sufficient, with the focus needed on enforcing the current laws. In any event, the proposed bill is controversial, and there is little doubt that it will continue to be the subject of debate and political maneuvering.
