FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
CONTACT: Sara Rabern (605) 773-3215
Attorney General Jackley Joins Bi-Partisan AGs Encouraging ATF
to Further Respect the Second Amendment
PIERRE, S.D. – Attorney General Jackley joins 23 bi-partisan State Attorneys General recognizing ATFs recent decision to adhere to the Second Amendment and further requesting ATF to permanently discard a proposed ban on M855 5.56 x 45mm ammunition. On March 10, ATF shelved the proposed ammunition ban after an outpouring of opposition, including from the law enforcement community. After shelving the proposal, ATF indicated it would continue to take public comment until the close of business on March 16.
“The State Attorneys General commend the ATF for holding off on the final framework of this proposal, and we strongly encourage them to not revive it,” said Jackley. “The proposed ban is unnecessary, and we are urging the ATF to continue to reject this ill-advised proposal and uphold the Second Amendment rights of our citizens.”
The letter states “We represent our respective states as each state’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer, and in that role we directly oversee or work directly with numerous federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies. We, as much as anyone, want to do the utmost to ensure that our brave men and women that serve in law enforcement are safe. The proposed ATF ban on M855 5.56 ammunition, however, does not advance that goal. Instead, it threatens Second Amendment freedoms and deprives shooting sports enthusiasts of a popular cartridge for a popular rifle.”
The Attorneys General highlighted the opposition to the ban voiced by law enforcement organizations: “As law enforcement organizations such as the Fraternal Order of Police have recently described, the 5.56 M855 cartridge does not pose a particular threat to law enforcement.”
The letter was signed by the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
To view the letter, please click on the link.
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