Comer Threatens Subpoena to Obtain Information on Biden Administration’s Firearm Export License Pause

WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) today is threatening to use the compulsory process to obtain information about the U.S. Department of Commerce’s action to cease issuing new export licenses related to certain firearms, firearm components, and ammunition for approximately 90 days to certain countries. Chairman Comer requested information in November 2023, but the Department of Commerce has failed to produce a single responsive document to the committee.

“The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating politicization of activities at the Department of Commerce by the Biden Administration targeting the firearm industry. We initially wrote to you on November 28, 2023, to request information on the recent decision by Commerce to cease issuing new export licenses related to certain firearms, firearm components, and ammunition for approximately 90 days. As of the date of this letter, Commerce has failed to produce a single document in response to the Committee’s request and has not provided the requested briefing,” wrote Chairman Comer.

The Oversight Committee is conducting oversight of the Biden Administration’s government overreach which has targeted lawful gun-owning Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights and the firearm industry. On November 28, 2023, Chairman Comer requested information about the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to cease issuing new export licenses related to certain firearms, firearm components, and ammunition for approximately 90 days to certain countries. The deadline for the Department of Commerce to produce the requested information was December 12, 2023.

“Commerce is now more than five weeks delinquent in satisfying those requests. Despite attempts by Committee staff to obtain status updates on Commerce’s efforts to identify and produce the requested documents, Commerce has failed to provide any substantive status updates or a timeline of their activities working toward production. Furthermore, instead of providing the requested briefing or documents, Commerce held what it dubbed a ‘listening session’ with congressional staff on December 15, 2023, providing only vague responses to limited questions in a half-hour format,” continued Chairman Comer. “Accordingly, we write to reiterate our outstanding requests for documents and information in our November 28, 2023, request. If Commerce continues to fail to produce the requested documents by January 26, 2024, we will consider other measures, including the use of compulsory process, to gain compliance and obtain this material.”

Read the letter to Commerce Secretary Raimondo here.