WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association swiftly condemned a new round of Obama administration executive actions aimed at reducing gun violence Thursday.
"The Obama administration has once again completely missed the mark when it comes to stopping violent crime," NRA spokesperson Andrew Arulanandam said.
Vice President Joe Biden is expected to announce the new executive actions Thursday, the same day he ceremonially swears in the new head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. A proposed ATF rule requiring individuals who register a gun to a corporation to undergo a background check would, according to the White House, close a loop hole in existing law that allows convicted felons and others barred from owning guns to purchase them. A new administration policy bans the reimportation and sale of American weapons sold or given to U.S. allies by the military.
There are more details on the White House proposals here.
The NRA opposition is in step with the organization's response to most of Obama's pushes for new gun control laws after the Newtown shooting. which ultimately led to a defeat for the president at the hands of NRA allies in the Senate.
"Requiring background checks for corporations and trusts does not keep firearms out of the hands of criminals," Arulanandam said. "Prohibiting the re-importation of firearms into the U.S. that were manufactured 50 or more years ago does not keep firearms out of the hands of criminals."
"This administration should get serious about prosecuting violent criminals who misuse guns and stop focusing its efforts on law-abiding gun owners," he continued.