House GOP passes measure to undo pistol brace regulation

WASHINGTON — House Republicans passed a joint resolution Tuesday that would overturn the Biden administration’s rule to tighten federal regulations on pistol braces, an effort that faces a veto threat from President Joe Biden.

Tuesday’s 219-210 vote, which included two Democrats voting for the measure and two Republicans voting against it, comes days after the administration’s rule was set to go into effect. Republicans argued the regulation, which would require brace owners to register them as rifles, surrender them or take them off their firearms, violates Second Amendment rights.

Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-LA., criticized the Bureau of Alcohol,

Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for acting as their own legislators.

Scalise and other backers of the overturn effort argued the braces help disabled people use firearms and have been legal for years.

“We’ve seen from the very beginning, Joe Biden wants to take away gun rights of law-abiding citizens,” Scalise said. “He’s tried multiple different ways, but coming through the back door, trying to retroactively make felons out of people including military veterans who lost limbs, fighting for our freedoms, is shameful.”

A senator can force a vote on a joint resolution on the issue. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-LA., has filed a similar joint resolution in that chamber.

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York said Tuesday there are discussions in his caucus about how the Senate should move forward on gun issues.

“What they’re sending over is just awful,” Schumer told reporters about the House resolution. “It allows you to conceal what is in effect an assault weapon, and that’s been used in many of the killings.”

The pistol braces were targeted by regulators after they were used in several mass shootings and Democrats have argued that the regulation is needed to prevent more deaths. The Biden administration said the president would veto the resolution if it passed Congress.

“This Administration has no higher priority than keeping the

American people safe, which is jeopardized with a vote in support of a resolution that makes it easier for mass shooters to obtain these deadly weapons,” a statement of administration policy said.