Comer Issues Subpoena to Commerce for Firearm Export Pause Docs
WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) issued a subpoena to the U.S. Department of Commerce for documents related to Commerce’s action to cease issuing new export licenses related to certain firearms, firearm components, and ammunition for approximately 90 days to certain countries. The Commerce Department has failed to provide critical information requested by the Committee.
“The Committee initially requested documents and information regarding these matters on November 28, 2023. It has been over 75 days since that request. Despite repeated efforts by the Committee to obtain compliance, Commerce only provided 311 pages of public facing materials—some of which were cited in the initial request letter—on January 26, 2024, devoid of any internal documents or communications that would provide context as to their relevancy to the decision to institute the pause. As a result, the attached subpoena is being issued pursuant to the authority delegated to the Chairman of the Committee under Rule XI, clause 2(m)(1)(B) of the Rules of the House of Representatives and Rule 12(g) of the Committee’s Rules,” Chairman Comer wrote.
In October 2023, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued an approximately 90-day pause on the issuance of new export licenses involving certain firearms, related components, and ammunition for nongovernmental end users in certain countries. The Oversight Committee is conducting oversight of the Biden Administration’s government overreach which has targeted the firearm industry.
“The Committee’s November 28 request for documents and communications was intended to enable oversight into possible politicization of Commerce’s activities to further build out American industry’s access to global markets and to learn more regarding the origin and nature of the pause and whether it was done consistent with the law,” Chairman Comer continued.
Read the letter to Commerce Secretary Raimondo here.
Read the subpoena here.