Finally, a Second Amendment task force

OPINION:

April has been a good month for freedom-loving Americans.

On April 7, the Justice Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced the repeal of the onerous Biden-era Enhanced Regulatory Enforcement policy, aka the “Zero Tolerance Policy,” which amounted to a de facto war on gun dealers, aiming to strip them of their livelihoods.

The very next day, in a stunning one-two punch to the anti-gun community, the Justice Department announced the creation of a Second Amendment enforcement task force, a working group charged with protecting and promoting the Second Amendment and continuing the implementation of President Trump’s “Protecting Second Amendment Rights” executive order, signed in February.

A proverb says, “No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.” We have weathered the long, cold winter of the patently anti-freedom Biden era, a season marked by relentless assaults on our fundamental rights.

With the Trump administration, it seems a new season has begun, one of hope, determination and the possibility of progress. Leading this renewal is the Justice Department task force, which has the potential to lead an era of transformative change.

Although I’m encouraged by the pro-Second Amendment momentum since Mr. Trump’s inauguration, I remain concerned about whether the entire federal government has the commitment and resolve to fully seize this critical window of opportunity. It’s a skeptical perspective, but in the world of politics and policy, skepticism feels less like pessimism and more like self-preservation.

Since founding the Firearms Policy Coalition in 2012, I’ve seen this movement endure four presidential administrations, eight U.S. congresses and nine ATF directors. That’s a revolving door of power and a frightening spectrum of interpretations about how the Constitution should or shouldn’t be upheld. As the leader of a national membership organization devoted to advancing the right to keep and bear arms and other critical freedoms, it’s not just my instinct to be skeptical; it’s my responsibility.

I wouldn’t be leading our team to fight for your rights if I didn’t have hope that things could improve, and establishing the Second Amendment enforcement task force could be a significant step in the right direction. The challenge facing this task force, however, will be mission prioritization. There are so many opportunities to target unconstitutional state and local restrictions, roll back regulations and strengthen protections for fundamental rights that it would be easy to, with the best of intentions, start in the wrong places.

The first order of business should be the appointment of a Second Amendment czar, a dedicated official within the White House or Justice Department responsible for overseeing and advocating for policies that protect the right to keep and bear arms. This role would serve as a critical liaison among government departments, firearm owners and advocacy organizations with a specialized understanding of strategy, law and history to ensure concerns are appropriately and consistently addressed at the highest levels.

Next, the task force should establish a fundamental rights protection office within the Justice Department’s civil rights division, with this section specifically tasked with addressing laws, policies and enforcement practices that deny, delay or discourage peaceable people from exercising their constitutionally protected rights. This office would work to litigate or unwind unconstitutional restrictions, defend lawful gun ownership and challenge overreach by anti-rights governments. What a sea change it would be for Americans to finally have some peace of mind, knowing that a dedicated government entity exists solely to protect their rights, not infringe upon them.

Another critical step would be to conduct a comprehensive review of how the government interprets, enforces and implements the National Firearms Act. Reforms should prioritize removing risk to peaceable firearms owners, cutting red tape and maximizing access to these constitutionally protected arms.

The task force should also direct the ATF to immediately address Mr. Biden’s disastrous 2022 “Frame or Receiver” rule after the deeply misguided Supreme Court decision upholding it last month. This is an opportunity to give American gun owners, manufacturers and retailers the clarity they need to exercise their rights without violating the law.

Leo Tolstoy wrote, “Spring is the time of plans and projects.” Now is the time for the Justice Department’s Second Amendment enforcement task force to start executing plans and projects to revitalize our national gun rights landscape more than we have seen in generations. The Firearms Policy Coalition and our team of advocates and litigators — indeed, the entire pro-Second Amendment community — stand ready and willing to help.

• Brandon Combs is the president and founder of the Firearms Policy Coalition.