OVERNIGHT REGULATION: Dems want bullet ban back
March 12, 2015
March 12, 2015
Welcome to OVERNIGHT REGULATION, your daily rundown of rules from Capitol Hill and beyond. It's Thursday evening here in Washington and we can't believe that President Obama already has the premier of "Mad Men's" final season. If there are any spoilers we can all thank Obama. http://bit.ly/18g1iPG
Here's what the rest of his administration and Congress are up to.
THE BIG STORY
Congressional Democrats are renewing a push to ban armor-piercing bullets after the Obama administration bailed out earlier this week amid pressure from Republicans and gun rights groups.
Dozens of House Democrats are writing to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), urging it to revive the controversial bullet ban and keep "dangerous ammunition out of our communities." http://bit.ly/
In a draft letter first obtained by The Hill, Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and others say they are "very disappointed" in the ATF for delaying the rule.
"Armor-piercing rounds like green tips should only be in the hands of military personnel or police officers, period," Engel said. "There is absolutely no compelling argument to be made for anyone else to have access to them.
"But the out-of-touch gun industry lobby is fighting tooth and nail to keep cop-killing ammunition on the streets," he added. "We need to speak up on behalf of our police officers and say 'stop the madness.'"
Separately, Engel will introduce legislation Friday that would prohibit the same bullets the ATF had proposed to ban, though the bill would not apply to all forms of armor-piercing ammunition. http://bit.ly/1BApztS
Meanwhile, Speier, Maloney, and Israel are getting ready to introduce another piece of legislation next week that would more broadly ban armor-piercing bullets.
ATF Director Todd Jones defended his agency's bullet ban Thursday as a "good faith effort" to protect police officers while testifying at a Senate hearing.
"I want to make sure everyone understands this was not -- contrary to the blogosphere -- an effort to completely ban that sort of cartridge," he said.
Republicans and gun groups have rallied against the bullet ban, saying it would infringe on the Second Amendment rights of hunters who commonly use these bullets in AR-15 rifles.
But the ATF argues these bullets can now be used in handguns, which present a greater threat to law enforcement, because they can be concealed more easily than rifles.
While the bullet ban would protect police, supporters say it also would not impede hunters like many gun groups are suggesting.
"Deer do not wear body armor," a spokesman for Engel joked. "No, I have never met a deer that walks around in Kevlar."
ON TAP FOR FRIDAY
President Obama will travel along with Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald to the Phoenix hospital that was at the center of last year's VA scandal.
Meanwhile, lawmakers are heading out of town. The Senate is finished for the week, while the House will hold a pro forma session, but is still on recess.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will meet to discuss efforts underway to implement reforms in the wake of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan, which occurred four years ago this week.
The Brookings Institution will discuss how Washington can "end the cycle of debt ceiling showdowns."
TOMORROW'S REGS TODAY
The Obama administration will publish 248 new regulations, proposed rules, notices and other administrative actions in Friday's edition of the Federal Register.
Here's what to watch for.
Disruptive behavior: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is moving forward with changes to rules over the public's role at hearings. It is adopting the Federal Communication Commission's open meeting regulation and the Rural Bank's open meeting regulations to clarify that the term "observe" does not include disruptive behavior.
The rule also uses language from the FCC's open meeting regulation to clarify that comments made by unscheduled presenters will not be considered by the commission. Meetings can be recorded as long as it is done in a non-disruptive manner.
The public has 30 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1x02z9l
Foreign bank: The Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is considering excluding Banca Privada d'Andorra (BPA), an Andorran financial institution, from the U.S. financial system.
The rule would apply to all domestic and international bank branches. Financial institutions in the U.S. would be required to guard all of their foreign correspondent accounts from processing transactions involving BPA. http://bit.ly/1wAuImN
Menu labeling: The Food and Drug Administration is issuing new guidance to help small businesses complying with the national menu labeling standards for restaurants and similar good establishments.
The agency is looking for the public to comment on the proposed guidance. http://bit.ly/
NEWS RIGHT NOW
Chemical laws: Displeased with legislation introduced earlier this week, Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) have drafted their own bill to reform the nation's chemical laws. http://bit.ly/1wAx312
Candy-coated drugs: Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) want harsher penalties for any drug dealer providing candy-flavored and candy-coated drugs to minors. http://bit.ly/18fMwIF
Reusable medical devices: The Food and Drug Administration has issued new guidance for the healthcare industry on reusable medical devices that have been linked to the spread of superbugs. http://bit.ly/
Merger: Comcast is firing back at a coalition of industry and advocacy groups critical of its $45 billion merger proposal. http://bit.ly/
Hot dogs: The North American Meat Institute has a message for the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee – "Get your hands off my hot dog." http://bit.ly/1Fg6dx9
Craft beer: There's a craft beer tax battle brewing on Capitol Hill, NPR reports.http://n.pr/1NQ6ier
Spring forward: About a dozen states are considering legislation that would get rid of daylight saving time, The Washington Postreported. http://wapo.st/
LGBT rights: Utah passed a bill that bans discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in housing and employment, The New York Times reported. http://nyti.ms/1Ap8kYZ
BY THE NUMBERS
$3.1 trillion: the amount of tax revenue collected in fiscal year 2014.
242 million: the number of tax returns and other forms processed in FY 2014.
$374 billion: the total amount issued to taxpayers in refunds in FY 2014.
(Source: the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration)
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Deer do not wear body armor," a spokesman for Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) joked Thursday when talking about ATF's new rule for armor piercing bullets.
We'll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill's Regulation page (http://thehill.com/regulation
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