[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 123 (Wednesday, July 14, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4886-S4887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                     Nomination of David H. Chipman

  Mr. BRAUN. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to oppose the 
confirmation of David Chipman, President Biden's nominee for Director 
of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
  Many Hoosiers are concerned about the nomination of Mr. Chipman, and 
rightfully so. His statements have made one thing clear: If confirmed, 
he will fail to uphold the constitutional right to bear arms.
  He has stated under oath that he supports mandatory Federal 
registration of common semiautomatic firearms and ultimately supports a 
ban on AR-15 rifles.
  Semiautomatic sporting rifles can be found in the homes of millions 
of law-abiding Americans, Hoosiers included, who use them for hunting, 
recreational shooting, and defending their families.
  The ATF has a responsibility to clearly articulate its decisions to 
the public. In his confirmation hearing, Mr. Chipman revealed that he 
is not able to articulate what an assault rifle even is. His beliefs 
represent, in my opinion, a direct attack on our Second Amendment 
rights.
  It is no surprise that organizations that have never opposed an ATF 
nominee before are loudly opposing the nomination of David Chipman.
  Mr. Chipman's nomination comes as the ATF is already in need of more 
accountability for politicized decisions. American gun owners, 
manufacturers, and small business owners deserve clarity and the right 
to appeal politicized decisions made by the ATF.
  Currently, the ATF engages in a secretive, behind-the-scenes 
classification review process to decide if a firearm will be regulated 
by the National Firearms Act. No law-abiding American should have to 
wonder if they are going to suddenly be made a criminal by a 
bureaucratic decision. It doesn't make sense.
  That is why I joined Representative   Dan Crenshaw in the House to 
introduce the ATF Accountability Act. Law-abiding gun manufacturers and 
small businesses should be able to appeal the legal status of 
classifications within a regular timeframe.
  I yield the floor at this time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana.
  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I want to thank my friend and colleague 
Senator Braun for leading this important discussion on protecting 
Second Amendment rights for Montanans and for all Americans.
  Today, President Biden and Chuck Schumer are propping up yet another 
very controversial nominee, one who far from unites us as Americans--
rather, another nominee who divides us further. Sadly, we are 
witnessing a complete disregard for our Constitution.
  The Constitution could not be clearer. Now, I know my Democratic 
colleagues may want to say it otherwise, but it is clear--it is very 
clear when it says--and I have my pocket Constitution here. It says, 
``the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be 
infringed.'' It is very strong and very clear language. Montanans and 
the American people are guaranteed this right, as protected in our 
Constitution.
  Despite this, we have seen President Biden and far-left Democrats 
abandon

[[Page S4887]]

this right to fit their own gun-grabbing agenda. Their latest attack on 
the Second Amendment is the nomination of a registered anti-gun 
lobbyist, who has called for the ban of certain firearms, to lead the 
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. This is the very agency that 
oversees firearms.
  It is unbelievable. Putting David Chipman in charge of the ATF is 
like putting an arsonist in charge of the fire department. He has a 
very hostile record toward the Second Amendment, and this hostile 
record against law-abiding gun owners speaks loud and clear.
  It is interesting to look at the 2020 data that is coming in. Forty 
percent of the firearms sold in our country last year were to first-
time buyers of a firearm--40 percent. Why? The American people want to 
be able to defend themselves.
  As we are seeing the far left push to defund law enforcement, defund 
the police, and we see the anarchy going on across the cities of 
America, the lawlessness, the high murder rates, the violence, it is no 
wonder that more Americans now say: I want to own a firearm myself to 
protect myself.
  If confirmed, Mr. Chipman would help the Democrats push their gun-
grabbing agenda. We can't allow the left to continue this attack on our 
precious constitutional rights. David Chipman would be a disaster to 
the Second Amendment rights of Montanans and all Americans. The Senate 
must oppose Mr. Chipman's nomination for the sake of protecting our 
Second Amendment rights.
  We must also pass some commonsense legislation that protects the 
Second Amendment, like what Senator Braun of Indiana is trying to do 
with his ATF Accountability Act. I support him in his efforts to pass 
this commonsense legislation.
  I urge all my colleagues to join me in opposing Mr. Chipman's 
nomination to lead the ATF and encourage my colleagues to pass and 
support Senator Braun's ATF Accountability Act.
  I yield back my time to the Senator from Indiana.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Indiana.