NRA, so recently tempted by a Dem/GOP compromise on "sporting purposes", finally "comes to Jesus" on the subject.

Readers may recall the contretemps at the time of the NRA national meeting when David Codrea and I reported a proposed congressional deal to "save the Fudds" with pistol-grip shotguns from being charged with possession of a destructive device in a trade that would widen the "sporting purposes" language to the delight of the anti-firearm lobby. (A story denied by Chris Cox that we still stand by our sources on.) Now it seems that the NRA has finally "come to Jesus" on the subject. Representative Rob Bishop Introduces Bill to Curb BATFE Abuse

On Wednesday, June 10, 2015, Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources Rob Bishop (R-UT) introduced H.R. 2710, the “Lawful Purpose and Self Defense Act of 2015.” This bill would remove BATFE’s authority to interpret or reinterpret the “sporting purposes” clauses in federal law, which only serve to undermine the core purpose of the Second Amendment. Under Chairman Bishop’s legislation, all lawful purposes – including self-defense – would have to be given due consideration and respect in the administration of federal law. . .

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in District of Columbia v. Heller that the core purpose of the Second Amendment is self-defense. Nevertheless, many federal laws that regulate the importation, possession and transfer of firearms measure the lawful utility of firearms based on their usefulness for so-called “sporting purposes.”

The term “sporting purposes” is undefined by federal statute and has been subject to several reinterpretations by the BATFE and its predecessor agency. BATFE and anti-gun administrations have exploited the lack of a clear definition of “sporting purposes” to bypass Congress and impose gun control through executive fiat. The most recent (and perhaps most infamous) example of this was the Obama administration’s attempt to ban a highly popular form of ammunition for the AR-15, America’s most popular rifle. . .

NRA would like to thank Chairman Bishop for his steadfast support of the Second Amendment and the introduction of H.R. 2710.