Tuscon, Arizona –-(Ammoland.com)- Gun owners have a new ally in the fight for Second Amendment rights.
Long-time gun rights lobbyist and NRA board member Todd J. Rathner announced today the formation of the NFA Freedom Alliance (NFAFA), a 501(c)(4) tax-exempt organization dedicated to preserving and expanding the right to own, manufacture, sell, and use items regulated by the National Firearms Act (www.nfafa.org/theNFA.cfm).
The items regulated by the National Firearms Act (NFA) include fully automatic firearms, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and silencers, among others.
According to Rathner, ownership of NFA-regulated items is one of the fastest growing segments of the firearms industry. In recent years, the companies manufacturing these items, the dealers selling them, and the people buying them have become increasingly vocal about the need for a unified voice to speak for their interests.
The NFAFA is that voice.
Of particular concern to the NFA community is proposed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) rule 41P (www.nfafa.org/atf41p.cfm), which would allow local sheriffs and chiefs of police to arbitrarily decide who can and cannot own NFA items. The NFAFA plans to counteract the potentially negative effects of 41P by aggressively pushing “Shall Certify” legislation (www.nfafa.org/what-is-shall-certify.cfm) at the state level. “Shall Certify” is a concept Rathner developed during his time as a lobbyist for silencer rights. Under a “Shall Certify” law, a chief of police or sheriff can only deny an application to purchase/own an NFA item if the applicant is a prohibited possessor under state or federal law.
Rathner explained the impetus behind the NFAFA, stating, “Of all the firearms and accessories available today, none are more maligned or misunderstood than those regulated by the NFA. This is already the most heavily regulated segment of the firearms industry, and I cannot stand idly by as politically motivated law enforcement officers arbitrarily decide which Americans are worthy to keep and bear an entire class of arms.”
ABOUT THE NFA FREEDOM ALLIANCE – The NFA Freedom Alliance (NFAFA) is the premiere direct action/lobbying organization working at the state and federal level to ease restrictions on the ownership, manufacture, sale, and use of items regulated by the National Firearms Act (NFA). For more information, visit www.NFAFA.org. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NFAFreedomAlliance