U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) reintroduced a bill Monday that will help protect Americans’ Second Amendment rights.

Tuberville joined U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kans.) in reintroducing the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act. This legislation would remove the taxation, registration, and regulation of short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and any other weapons under the National Firearms Act (NFA).

“For too long, unelected bureaucrats have misplaced their priorities by overregulating the use of firearms that Americans are legally entitled to own,” Tuberville said. “Every American has a right to bear arms to protect themselves and their families. I’m proud to join legislation that cuts red tape and protects law-abiding gun-owners.”

Every American has a right to bear arms to protect themselves and their families.

I am proud to join @RogerMarshallMD in reintroducing the SHORT Act to cut red tape and protect law-abiding gun owners. https://t.co/lKMSd7d8If

— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) March 31, 2025

The measure is meant to protect against overregulation of gun owners by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

RELATED: Tuberville, Britt reintroduce pro-second amendment Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act

“‘Shall not be infringed’ is crystal clear – and the Biden-era abuses of the Constitutionally protected rights of gun owners across the country need to be undone,” Marshall said.

“The SHORT Act takes a step toward rolling back nonsensical regulations that the National Firearms Act has placed upon gun owners. I challenge my colleagues in both chambers to pass this legislation and join me in fully restoring and protecting our God-given Second Amendment rights.”

The Biden Administration used the NFA to go after people who own pistols with stabilizing braces. The ATF under Biden enforced the ban. Gun owners who wanted to keep their firearms had to either violate the regulation or sign up in a registry titled “Amnesty Registration of Pistol Brace Weapons.”

U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) co-sponsored the measure along with U.S. Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N. Dak.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Justice (R-W. Va.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebr.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) in cosponsoring the legislation.

Gun owners of America and the National Association of Gun Rights have endorsed the bill.

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

An Irondale man who placed and detonated a shrapnel-filled explosive device outside the Alabama Attorney General’s Office in Montgomery has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison.

Kyle Benjamin Douglas Calvert, 27, admitted during his plea hearing that he manufactured the explosive device using nails and screws as shrapnel. After setting the explosive device near the AG’s Office, Calvert lit its fuse and left the area before the explosion. There were no injuries from the incident.

Prior to the explosion, Calvert placed stickers with graphics including phrases like “Support your local Antifa” on other buildings in the area of the AG’s office. In his plea agreement, Calvert claimed no affiliation with the group.

“Kyle Calvert attacked the Alabama Attorney General’s Office with a shrapnel-filled explosive and then fled the scene, but this sentence ensures he will not escape accountability for his crime,” said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.

“Acts of violence like this one against our public institutions endanger public servants and entire communities, and they must not be tolerated. I am grateful to the FBI, ATF, and our state and local law enforcement partners for ensuring accountability for this attack, and for the work they do every day to protect our communities.”

RELATED: Left-wing extremist bomber of Alabama AG office pleads guilty

Directors from both the FBI and ATF commented on the prison sentence handed down to Calvert.

“Today’s sentencing is the final step in holding Kyle Calvert accountable for detonating a shrapnel-filled explosive device outside a public office in downtown Montgomery,” said FBI Director Chris Wray. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s continued commitment to working with our partners to bring to justice anyone who attempts violence to injure or intimidate members of our community.”

“Today’s sentencing shows that any attack on America’s justice system, and on the civil servants and public officials who serve our communities and country, will not be tolerated,” Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) said.  “The sentence handed down today reflects not only the severity of the crime, but also ATF’s commitment to working with our federal, state, and local partners to hold those who attack American institutions accountable.”

Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson praised the law enforcement organizations involved in the operation.

“This prosecution would not have been possible if not for the coordinated efforts of numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies,” Davidson emphasized. “Working together, investigators and analysts were able to identify Calvert as a suspect and ensure he was held accountable for his attempt to intimidate public officials and create chaos.”

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten

A 26-year-old from Irondale, Kyle Benjamin Douglas Calvert, pleaded guilty today to detonating a shrapnel-filled explosive device outside the Alabama Attorney General’s Office in February.

Surveillance footage showed Calvert placing stickers on government buildings, including the Alabama State House, with phrases like “Support your local Antifa” and “Topple all hierarchies,” shortly before the attack. After placing the explosive device near the Attorney General’s Office, Calvert lit its fuse and fled the scene. Law enforcement arrested Calvert on April 10, 2024.

“This defendant built a bomb using nails and screws as shrapnel and detonated it outside the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, endangering a public institution and members of the community,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.

“Public servants should never be targeted for doing their jobs. The Justice Department will not tolerate such conduct, and we will use every resource at our disposal to prevent these attacks and hold perpetrators accountable.”

According to the plea agreement and other court documents, during the early morning hours of February 24, 2024, Calvert detonated an explosive device outside of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office in downtown Montgomery. No injuries were reported. Calvert admitted during the plea hearing to manufacturing the device. He used, nails and screws as shrapnel and accelerants to cause an explosion. Prior to planting the device, Calvert placed stickers on various downtown buildings.

RELATED: Alabama AG office building bomber arrested, identified as 26-year-old Irondale man

“The defendant pleaded guilty today to setting off a powerful, shrapnel-filled explosive at public offices in the middle of downtown Montgomery,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Violence and destruction of property will never be tolerated, and the FBI and our partners will continue to work together to ensure anyone who attempts to harm or intimidate the community will be held accountable.”

“This attack on the Alabama Attorney General’s Office was an attack on the American justice system,” said ATF Director Steven Dettelbach. “Violent, targeted attacks like this, aim to harm, whether physically or through fear and intimidation, the civil servants and public officials who serve our communities and country. ATF is committed to holding those who attack American institutions accountable. I commend the work of the ATF and all our federal and local partners in bringing this defendant to justice.”

“Calvert’s offense was a very serious one and today’s plea ensures that he will face significant consequences,” said United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross. “Calvert would not have been held accountable had it not been for the thorough and painstaking investigation conducted by federal, state, and local law enforcement agents working together. I am grateful for the efforts of everyone involved.”

RELATED: Left-wing extremist ideology behind attempted bombing of Alabama government building is a ‘recipe for disaster’ AG Marshall says

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama, a sentencing hearing will be scheduled for Calvert in the coming months. At that hearing, Calvert faces a minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison with no possibility of parole. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant United States Attorneys Russell T. Duraski and Brett J. Talley for the Middle District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270

Last week was National Police Week. But, if you ask me, one week isn’t nearly enough to sufficiently honor the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day to serve and protect our communities. I hosted a roundtable discussion with several of my Senate colleagues and law enforcement officials, both from Alabama across the country, to discuss what Congress can do to “back the blue.” 

I listened to first-hand accounts of how Joe Biden’s soft-on-crime agenda has empowered criminals and made it riskier than ever to be a cop. Pam Bondi, former Attorney General of Florida, moderated the roundtable. She shared how one of the most difficult parts of the job was attending the funerals of the men and women killed in the line of duty. She turned to Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), who was Florida Governor when she served as Attorney General, and said, “We’ve been to way too many funerals together, Rick.” 

I heard about the many police officers who hug their spouses every morning not knowing if they will make it safely home that night. Sadly, my home state of Alabama lost three officers in 2023—Huntsville Police Officer Garrett Crumby, Montgomery Policy Officer Carlos Taylor, and Alabama Port Authority police officer Kimberly Sickafoose. I pray that their names will never be forgotten—and am tremendously grateful for their service to our state.

During the roundtable, we discussed many challenges facing the state and local law enforcement community, including rising crime in both urban and rural areas, drug smuggling, consequences of President Biden’s open border policies, and the impact the “Defund the Police” movement has had on law enforcement recruitment and retention. Our officers are overwhelmed, work at peak capacity, and fear retaliation from bad actors who will seize any opportunity to make a cop look bad on the national stage.  

Hoover, Alabama, Chief of Police Nick Derzis, along with Cullman County, Alabama, Sheriff Matt Gentry discussed the need to prioritize federal resources for law enforcement officers, including equipping officers with naloxone to protect officers who are exposed to fentanyl, which occurs on a regular basis. Another panelist, Katherine Robertson, Chief Counsel to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, talked about the great strides Alabama’s prosecutors have made in locking up the worst offenders. Thanks to the support our law enforcement has received from Governor Kay Ivey, Alabama now touts some of the strictest laws in the country related to human trafficking and drug smuggling. 

From a nationwide perspective, Dean Keuter, former official from Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Chad Wolf, former Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), described the night and day differences between the border policies under the Trump administration versus the Biden administration. When Wolf served at DHS, the United States enjoyed one of the most secure borders in history. “What we do, or fail to do, directly impacts the safety of our communities,” said Wolf. He also highlighted how public safety threats do not stay at the border as every state has become a border state under Joe Biden.

What people may not realize is that it isn’t just our federal officers along the border who are managing the fallout of the President’s intentional, open-border policies.  It trickles down to our state and locals in every community across the country who, as a direct result, deal with drug and human trafficking, violent crime, and murders every single day.  With all of these challenges facing our law enforcement community, it is no wonder the U.S. has experienced a historic number of retirements—and more difficulty than ever in recruitment.

I will never stop fighting to make sure our law enforcement officers have the resources they need to do their jobs. But that isn’t enough—our officers need to know that we have their backs. Hopefully we get a Commander in Chief in the White House who will actually enforce our laws and support the work our law enforcement officers are doing to keep our country safe. If we do nothing to punish those who break our laws and endanger our communities, we have lost the very nature of this country—a sovereign nation that values and respects the rule of law.

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville is the senior senator from Alabama and a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committees.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama, a Chinese national was sentenced to 102 months in federal prison for arson and illegal firearm possession.

Last week, a federal judge sentenced 30-year-old Xiaoqin Yan without the eligibility of parole.

According to court records and evidence presented at Yan’s June 2023 trial, on September 30, 2021, Yan entered a church in downtown Montgomery and ignited multiple fires inside the building.

The Montgomery Fire Department was able to extinguish the blaze, but only after the church sustained significant damage. Evidence presented during the trial showed that Yan had multiple encounters with church staff prior to September 30 and had exhibited odd behavior.

When arresting Yan on October 4, 2021, agents found items identical to those seen on church surveillance videos, as well as clothing matching the type worn by Yan when setting the fires. Officers also found a handgun. At the time of the arson and her arrest, Yan had overstayed her non-immigrant visa and, therefore, could not lawfully possess a firearm.

RELATED: ‘Machine guns in Montgomery’: DOJ says threat to law enforcement, public significant 

The Montgomery Fire/Rescue Bureau of Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated this case, with assistance from the Montgomery Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys B. Chelsea Phillips and Brandon W. Bates prosecuted the case.

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270

U.S. Rep. Barry Moore believes a new rule by the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Administration (ATF) is unconstitutional and is joining the effort to block it.

The rule, titled “Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached Stabilizing Braces,” would reclassify pistols as short-barreled rifles if they have a stabilizing brace attachment.

Tuesday, Moore (R-Enterprise) voted for a joint resolution to block the rule, saying many disabled veterans and other Americans rely on these braces to use their firearms.

“This malignant rule, enacted by Biden’s army of unelected bureaucrats at the ATF, turns 29 million Americans into felons overnight,” Moore said in a statement. “House Republicans are stepping in to halt this unconstitutional rule that seeks to disarm millions of disabled Americans, including many veterans, just for possessing legal firearms with stabilizing braces. This isn’t about public safety: this is about the Democrats’ authoritarian desire to systematically disarm the American people.”

The congressman also gave a speech on the floor of the House, blasting the Biden administration for once again attacking the second amendment.

https://twitter.com/RepBarryMoore/status/1668679617199362048?s=20

“This is a blatant assault on our second amendment rights that makes 29 million Americans, including many veterans, subject to up to 10 years in prison and numerous fines,” he said. “I’m glad to see the courts getting involved to temporarily halt this rule, but we need more permanent solutions.”

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

During Thursday’s House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee’s hearing on the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Administration (ATF)’s actions on gun control, U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) criticized the Biden administration for trying to take away gun rights.

https://twitter.com/RepBarryMoore/status/1638957015056654336?s=20

“In the last year, we have had 107,000 opioid overdoses,” Moore said. “That (makes opioids) the number one killer of people between the ages of 18 and 45. Based on testimony we’ve been hearing about the open border, those victims are getting younger and younger. If we really care about young people in this country dying, we need to address the opioid crisis instead of trying to come after law-abiding citizens (who own firearms).”

Witnesses in the hearing included Amy Swearer, legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation; Alex Bosco, the founder and inventor of Stabilizing Brace; Matthew Larosiere, partner at Zermay-Larosiere Law Group; and Rob Wilcox, senior director of policy at Everytown for Gun Safety.

The congressman asked Swearer if the gun control measures being proposed would actually stop gun violence.

“Are you aware of any law that could stop gun violence?” he asked. “Is there a law that we could pass in this country that will actually stop murders?”

Swearer said, “Congressman, even if you could pass a law outright banning guns, you’d still have to be able to snap your fingers to make them disappear out of the hands of violent criminals. It would be an impossibility to eliminate gun violence. We can certainly work on getting guns out of the hands of violent criminals and enabling law-abiding citizens to defend themselves with that lethal force, as is their natural and their constitutional right, but to suggest that we can somehow eliminate gun violence — you’re talking about eliminating human nature and the propensity that violent people have to commit crimes.”

Moore said more gun control laws do not result in safer communities.

“I moved to D.C. and I’m here part time, I’ve only been in Congress 24 months, but you guys I feel so much less safe here, and they’re pretty restrictive on firearms, so much less safe here than I do in the hometowns I grew up in and the cities in my state” Moore said. “Because, number one, normally we’re carrying concealed so we’re safe in that respect.

“But just the crime that we’re seeing in the cities where they think they can pass the law to change human morality is just staggering to me. And the statistics simply do not support that approach.”

Alabama @RepBarryMoore fighting for 2A rights at the House ATF hearing today in DC. pic.twitter.com/cc2hgRujyo

— American Firearms Association (@2A_Freedom) March 23, 2023

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

SELMA, Ala. — The City of Selma is currently working with state and federal agencies to investigate an alleged gun mill authorities believe was operated by Andrian Canterbury, Richard Canterbury, and Candice Ledbetter Byrum. The alleged perpetrators of the ring were also past and present members of the local police department.

“With the cooperation of Selma Police Chief Spencer Collier, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms are conducting a joint investigation of current and former employees of the Selma Police Department,” Attorney General Steve Marshall said in a press release. “The joint investigation will include an audit of the police department’s evidence room in the wake of recent reports of missing items from the department’s vault.”

Canterbury, who had been employed by Selma P.D. since November 2016, was first arrested on May 2 for allegedly stealing three handguns from the department’s evidence vault. One of the guns had been allegedly used in a homicide after it had gone missing. Her husband Richard and Byrum were arrested 10 days later.

After authorities obtained search warrants for the Canterbury home and a storage facility, they discovered 200 guns, many of which came from Selma P.D.’s evidence vault. A cross-referencing audit of the Selma P.D. manifest revealed that thousands of guns have gone missing.

“It’s one of the most unusual and probably one of the biggest internal cases I’ve ever seen,” Collier told the Selma Times-Journal.

Authorities believe Canterbury used her position as an evidence technician to gain access to the weapons. They theorize that Canterbury would steal two or three guns at a time, transfer them to her husband, and then had Byrum sell them on the black market.

According to the Times-Journal, Selma P.D. has not purged its evidence room in over 17 years. Collier said that will change going forward.

Because of the sheer scale of the operation, Collier believes that federal charges would be better suited. No federal charges have yet been filed.

A new report finds that firearm theft has spiked nationwide, and the Yellowhammer State has taken one of the hardest hits.

The Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives found that overall thefts and losses of firearms around the country increased 24 percent in 2016. In Alabama, the jump is even more dramatic: 67 percent more guns have been stolen or lost since 2015.

ATF Special Agent Michael Knight told Huntsville’s WHNT that the high number may simply reflect the high interest in firearms in the state.

“Whenever you have a larger number of firearms, even if they are legal firearms, you have more interest in the criminal element to look at the area,” said Knight. “There are just a lot of firearms, legally, in [Alabama.]”

Knight went on to urge gun buyers to ensure that they “be aware” of the history of the firearms they purchase.

“I think the public should be aware if they are making a transaction, purchasing a firearm… if they want to go to a gun shop and get a background check, to see if that gun is stolen,” he recommended.

The federal agency has consistently found Alabama to be one of the highest gun-toting states in the country, ranking fifth for registered guns per capita in 2016. As of January, Yellowhammer State is said to boast a total of 134,687 registered weapons equaling approximately 2,777.41 per 100,000 residents. Only four other areas have a higher ratio: Wyoming, Washington D.C., New Mexico, and Virginia.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama Attorney General’s office on Friday announced that concealed carry permit holders in the Yellowhammer State are no longer required to undergo additional background checks each time they purchase a firearm.

The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has agreed to the state’s request for an exemption to the mandatory National Instant Criminal Background Check provided the Alabama concealed carry permit was issued on or after August 1, 2013, and within the past five years by the state, and that the permit has not expired under state law.

“I’m pleased that the ATF has approved my request to exempt Alabama conceal carry permit holders from having to undergo additional background checks each time they want to buy a firearm,” said Attorney General Luther Strange. “Alabama concealed carry permit holders in good standing have already passed a background check and there is no need to force them to submit to additional checks if they intend to buy a firearm within five years of receiving their permit.”

Alabama now joins 23 other states given NICS exemptions for concealed carry permit holders.

WASHINGTON — Alabama congressmen are gearing up for a fight with the Obama administration over the president’s expected executive orders on gun control, which could come as early as this week.

According to Politico, “the changes include requiring an expanded number of small-scale gun sellers to be licensed — and therefore conduct background checks — whenever selling a weapon. This wouldn’t close the so-called gun show loophole, though it has the potential to narrow it.

“The administration is also expected to impose tighter rules for reporting guns that get lost or stolen on their way to a buyer.”

Gun rights advocates say the new executive actions could drastically expand the power of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the agency that would be responsible for the implementation of the regulations. They also note that none of the expected orders would have done anything to stop recent mass shootings, which President Obama has used as his stated reasoning for unilaterally imposing stricter gun control.

In structure, the Presidential orders could be similar to Obama’s executive actions on immigration, which conservatives dubbed “executive amnesty” and insist are an unconstitutional overreach of the executive branch.

Alabama Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL1) released a statement urging his colleagues to be prepared to take “swift” action against any executive branch gun control efforts:

President Obama just doesn’t get it. He continues to openly disregard our Constitution and the will of the American people. For seven years now, Congress has rejected President Obama’s efforts to restrict the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. Now, in the final months of his presidency, he intends to make these changes on his own through executive fiat.

These expected changes would not have prevented any of the recent mass shootings where guns were purchased from licensed gun dealers. Instead of continuing to ignore Congress, the President should work with us on commonsense reforms that would actually reduce gun violence, like mental health reform and preventing those who wish to bring us harm from entering the United States. In reality, I don’t think President Obama wants to solve the problem. Instead, he is simply looking for another political talking point and continuing to pander to far-left political groups.

Congress must be swift to respond to any executive action, and there will certainly be legal challenges as well. This debate is about more than the Second Amendment. This debate is about standing up to an out-of-control President who refuses to follow the Constitution.

Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL3) pledged to join any efforts to push back against the president’s expected orders:

President Obama has spent his time in office expanding the size of government and infringing on our Constitutional rights. This is just another example of his blatant disregard for the Constitution. I remain completely opposed to any action that puts any level of restrictions on our right to bear arms. As a gun owner myself, I will continue to fight for our Second Amendment rights.

Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL4) said the gun control measures will not do anything to curb violence:

It is unbelievable and I’m at a loss of words at the news President Obama plans to sidestep the Constitution once again in order to circumvent Congress in his efforts to diminish gun owner’s rights in America. This is just another example of President Obama’s attempts to impose his failed agenda on the American people in the waning months of his Presidency.

There is not proof that the new restrictions President Obama proposes would have prevented any of the recent cases of gun violence in our country. I’m also confident that these new proposed restrictions on the Second Amendment will not stop any future incidents. As we know our problem in America is not a gun problem. It is a cultural problem and a problem of the heart by these criminals. No new gun laws can change the attitude of someone who is so lost in this world that they are bent on killing others.

Congresswoman Martha Roby (R-AL2) said Congress should focus its efforts on mental health and terrorism, rather than gun control:

President Obama is wrong to try to bypass Congress to unilaterally mandate his gun control agenda, and it won’t stand. I’m a gun owner myself, and I strongly value the rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment. I will fight on behalf of those I represent to stop any attempt to erode the Second Amendment rights of Americans.

There is a reason Congress has repeatedly rejected President Obama’s gun control agenda: on top of being unconstitutional, his proposals would not have prevented the recent attacks he uses to justify new laws. Instead of forcing unconstitutional gun regulations that have little hope of stopping premeditated attacks, I believe our focus should be dealing with the root causes, specifically mental health and terrorism.

Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL6) added that the President’s orders are not the law of the land and can be rescinded by any President that follows him.

The President’s Executive Actions are beyond the scope of his Constitutional powers. This President has developed a pattern over the past seven years of ignoring the Constitution whenever it suits him. This is wrong. Nothing in the President’s Executive Actions would have done anything to stop the most recent incidents of gun violence.

I have always been and will continue to be a strong defender of our Second Amendment rights, and will fight any attempt to infringe upon them. Executive actions are not law and, on January 20, 2017, can be rescinded by the next President.

This story may be updated as more congressmen issue statements.

Alabama is among the most heavily-armed states in America, according to a CBS News analysis of ATF gun registrations in accordance with the National Firearms Act (NFA). Weapons regulated under the NFA include short-barreled shotguns or rifles, machine guns and so called “assault rifles.”

There are a total of 96,744 such weapons in Alabama, or 20 per 1,000 residents, placing Alabama seventh nationally.

Here are the top 10 states, according to CBS:

1. Wyoming – 195.7 guns per 1,000 residents
2. District of Columbia – 66.4 guns per 1,000 residents
3. Arkansas – 41.6 guns per 1,000 residents
4. New Mexico – 40.5 guns per 1,000 residents
5. Virginia – 30.1 guns per 1,000 residents
6. Idaho – 24.2 guns per 1,000 residents
7. Alabama – 20 guns per 1,000 residents
8. Nevada – 19.5 guns per 1,000 residents
9. Alaska – 15.2 guns per 1,000 residents
10. Louisiana – 15.1 guns per 1,000 residents

(h/t al.com)

This is not, however, an accurate accounting of the total number of guns owned by Alabama citizens. That number is impossible to calculate because the vast majority of weapons are not subject to registration. However, the United States, a country of about 319 million citizens, has an estimated 360 million guns in circulation. If Alabama just kept pace with those numbers, the Yellowhammer State would have approximately 5.5 million guns for its 4.8 million population.

In the wake of recent mass shootings and terrorist attacks, President Barack Obama and other Democratic politicians have called for an increase in gun control. But a recently-released study by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) indicates that more guns actually results in less violence.

“In contrast to the widely embraced narrative, perpetuated by liberal politicians and the media, that gun violence in America is getting worse all the time, the data reveal that the exact opposite is true,” writes AEI’s Mark J. Perry. “According to data retrieved from the Centers for Disease Control, there were 7 firearm-related homicides for every 100,000 Americans in 1993 (see light blue line in chart). By 2013 (most recent year available), the gun homicide rate had fallen by nearly 50% to only 3.6 homicides per 100,000 population.

“Based on data from a 2012 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, the number of privately owned firearms in the US increased from about 185 million in 1993 to 357 million in 2013,” he continues. “Adjusted for the US population, the number of guns per American increased from 0.93 per person in 1993 to 1.45 in 2013, which is a 56% increase in the number of guns per person that occurred during the same period when gun violence decreased by 49%. Of course, that significant correlation doesn’t necessarily imply causation, but it’s logical to believe that those two trends are related. After all, armed citizens frequently prevent crimes from happening, including gun-related homicides.

“Bottom Line: Even if you’re not convinced that increased gun ownership reduces violent crime and gun homicides,” Perry concludes, “you should be totally convinced of this indisputable fact: Gun violence has been decreasing significantly over time, not increasing as you’ll frequently hear from anti-gun politicians and progressives.”

RELATED: Alabama senator says this sign should replace all gun free zone signs nationwide

Alabama ranked among the most heavily-armed states; @AEI research says that makes us safer https://t.co/FG1UFRGjQS

— Cliff Sims (@Cliff_Sims) December 14, 2015

Congress has the exclusive authority to allocate funding for government agencies and programs. That authority is exercised each year through the appropriations process. The House Appropriations Committee divides the funding measures up into twelve different bills based on areas of jurisdiction. The government funding bills must be passed each year by September 30 in order to avoid a government shutdown.

In recent years, Congress has fallen into a bad habit of passing massive omnibus spending bills instead of passing individual appropriations bills. This year, the House is setting out to change that by passing individual appropriations bills and allowing Members of Congress to openly amend the bills.

So far this year the House has already passed six of the twelve bills covering agencies ranging from the Department of Defense to the Department of Justice to the Department of Transportation. I have used the appropriations process to push for some important reforms and spending cuts.

During the funding bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs, I introduced an amendment that would prevent the VA from taking money away from the VA Choice Card Program. This is the program that allows veterans to seek care from private providers when they live more than 40 miles from a VA facility or face extended wait times.

President Obama and VA Secretary Robert McDonald have requested to move funding away from the VA Choice Card program and instead spend the money elsewhere. I strongly believe our veterans deserve access to private medical care, and I am pleased to report that my amendment passed and was included in the final bill.

I also tried to use the Department of Energy funding bill to fight back against wasteful spending. I introduced an amendment that would have cut over $1 billion in spending by eliminating all funding for the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program. I believe that program represents unnecessary government influence on the free market. Unfortunately, my amendment was not adopted.

The appropriations process is also an important opportunity to ensure that government agencies are accountable to the American people. I introduced an amendment to the funding bill for the Department of Justice that would have cut funding to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) by 20 percent or $250 million.

In recent years the ATF has seen an outrageous growth in operations and the number of regulations coming from their agency. This includes everything from the Fast and Furious gun running scheme to a recent attempt to ban common M855 ammunition. My amendment drew attention to the failures of the ATF and threatened them with a major funding reduction. I hope the leadership of the ATF takes notice and stops overstepping their authority.

Unfortunately, the appropriations process has stalled out in the Senate because Democrats want to see more money going to some government agencies. In an effort to get what they want, Democrats are blocking the funding bill for the Pentagon and our nation’s military men and women. In other words, the whole appropriations process is being held up because Democrats want more funding for things like the IRS and the EPA.

If we stay stuck in political gridlock, Congress is effectively limiting our ability to use the “power of the purse” to set national priorities and ensure accountability.

I plan to continue offering amendments to appropriations bills in the House as we work to reduce wasteful spending and make government agencies more efficient. I hope Democrats will move past these political games and join us in moving the process forward.

Congressman Bradley Byrne represents Alabama’s 1st District.

(Video Above: Rep. Bradley Byrne introduces an amendment to cut the ATF by $250 million)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL1) introduced an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act Tuesday which would have cut the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) by 20 percent, saving taxpayers approximately $250 million annually.

“Let me make one thing clear: I know that the ATF has an important mission to play in keeping our nation safe and regulating everything from firearms to alcohol,” Congressman Byrne said in a speech on the U.S. House floor. “That said, in the last few years we have seen an outrageous growth in operations and regulations coming out of the ATF.”

Over the last several years the Bureau has come under fire for “Fast and Furious” which knowingly sold weapons to members of the drug cartel in Mexico, and Operation Fearless, a faux store-front sting operated by ATF agents attempting to catch criminals.

“How could we forget the Fast and Furious gun trafficking scheme that was allowed to go so far off track that 2,000 guns were allowed to flow to Mexican drug trafficking groups,” Byrne asked in his speech. “Worst of all, a federal law enforcement officer was killed with a gun from the operation.

“There was Operation Fearless, where an undercover operation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin went horribly wrong. Convicted felons were given access to weapons, the fake storefront was burglarized and $39,000 in merchandise was lost. The ATF even used someone with developmental disabilities in the operation and ultimately arrested him for his involvement.

“From Wichita, Kansas to Portland, Oregon to Atlanta, Georgia, the stories of botched operations and inappropriate action just goes on and on.

“Then there was the ATF’s recent attempt to reclassify common M855 ammunition as armor-piercing despite its exemption from this classification since 1986 for ‘sporting purposes.’ Thankfully this proposal was dropped after pressure from Congress.”

Byrne particularly stressed the importance of reining in federal spending and overreach to his constituents in Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.

“Mr. Chairman, the people I represent in Southwest Alabama are tired of a federal government that doesn’t live within its means. They want to see their elected officials in Washington get serious about making cuts to the federal bureaucracy.

“My constituents also are tired of executive overreach and the federal government involving itself in areas where it simply doesn’t belong.”

While Congressman Byrne’s amendment was ultimately not adopted, the committee will continue to consider the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, leaving open the door for other cuts and reforms.

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— Elizabeth BeShears (@LizEBeesh) January 21, 2015

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange has signed a letter with 22 other state attorneys general imploring the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) to permanently discard the proposed ban on the popular M855 5.56 x 45mm ammunition, often used in AR-15 rifles. The attorneys general called the proposed ban “arbitrary” and “unnecessary”, adding that it “could easily lead to bans on a wide range of rifle ammunition.”

Earlier this month after 80,000 Americans reportedly contacted the ATF during the proposed ban’s comment period, most of them negative, the federal agency dropped the proposal, but not without indicating that it would be back.

“We applaud your recent decision not to issue a final framework on this proposal, at least for now, and we strongly encourage you not to revive it,” the letter from the 23 state Attorneys General says. “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.”

AG Strange said that he and the other attorneys general have heard from members of the law enforcement community, who are also largely against the ban.

“Law enforcement has joined in asserting that this ammunition does not pose a public safety threat to them, and we know of no situation in which this has been used against law enforcement in any of our states,” said Attorney General Strange in a press release Tuesday. “Rather, it is one of the most popular target shooting range rounds, and also is effectively used by farmers and ranchers to protect their livestock from predators.”

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.

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— Elizabeth BeShears (@LizEBeesh) January 21, 2015

In its initial proposal, the ATF sought to ban the ammunition under an “ATF Framework for Determining Whether Certain Projectiles are ‘Primarily Intended for Sporting Purposes'” using the Law Enforcement Officer Protection Act (LEOPA) of 1986, which bans body armor-piercing ammo that could be fired from a handgun. While the M855 round does fall under that category, it was previously exempt from LEOPA bans.

The ATF posted a notice Tuesday that they were dropping the “Framework” that would have made the M855 round illegal after the agency reportedly received 80,000 responses during the proposal’s comment period, most them opposed to the ban.

“Although ATF endeavored to create a proposal that reflected a good faith interpretation of the law and balanced the interests of law enforcement, industry, and sportsmen, the vast majority of the comments received to date are critical of the framework, and include issues that deserve further study,” the ATF said in the notice.

Both Senators Shelby and Sessions signed a letter delivered to ATF Director B. Todd Jones on Monday, imploring him to reconsider the agency’s proposed ban on the ammunition.

“It is not clear where the ATF believes it has obtained the authority to issue general standards interpreting the meaning of “sporting purposes” under LEOPA as to exempting or not exempting certain cartridges,” the letter said. “Nevertheless, no federal statue, including LEOPA, interferes with the ability of law-abiding citizens to obtain ammunition for such legitimate purposes as target shooting, hunting, and shooting competitions. Nor could any statute do so consistent with the Second Amendment. The “Framework” should not be adopted, and ATF should not propose in the future to ban any widely used form of ammunition used by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes.”

While the ATF’s decision comes as a relief to many, the agency also mentioned it was going to continue to “further evaluate the issues raised” and provide “additional open and transparent process” before pursuing any further actions.

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— Elizabeth BeShears (@LizEBeesh) January 21, 2015

“Rumors and Rumblings” is a weekly feature that runs each Wednesday. It includes short nuggets of information that we glean from conversations throughout the week. Have a tip? Send it here.

1. Tuscaloosa real estate tycoon Stan Pate on Monday pledged to fund a media campaign to defeat the proposed Sept. 18 constitutional amendment. Pate has a history of putting his money where his mouth is, but his angle is a bit different from the other groups coming out against the CA. Pate is proposing the state make up for its massive budget shortfall by legalizing gambling. “We are losing gaming revenue to all the states around us. It’s real money,” Pate told the Associated Press. The idea was met with an expectedly cool response from the major players on both sides of Union St. “That’s a nonstarter,” one elected official told Yellowhammer on Tuesday.

2. In other CA news, polling suggests the effort to pass the amendment is having a significant impact, but there is still a long way to go. “I didn’t think this thing had a chance early on,” one insider told Yellowhammer. “But now it looks like it could be close.” The effort to defeat the CA has been hampered by the opposition parties’s inability to form a strong coalition with a unified front. However, recent days have seen more and more elected officials willing to come out publicly as “no” votes and the aforementioned Stan Pate has the deep pockets needed to make some noise.

3. Yellowhammer picked up on a rumor that Blaine Galliher will be adding Jonathan Barganier to his staff as legislative liaison. Barganier is currently working as a Senior Consultant at the Center for Government & Public Affairs and previously worked in the Alabama Finance Dept. during both the Riley & Bentley administrations. He has also been the AUM point person on Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh’s Initiative to Streamline Government.

4. Mike Thompson, president of Thompson Tractor, hosted a successful fundraiser this past week for Twinkle Cavanaugh, the Republican candidate for PSC President. According to campaign sources, the event raised between $10-20k. Meanwhile, a quick peek at current PSC President Lucy Baxley’s campaign finance records reveal that she has about $13k cash-on-hand consisting mostly of loans to herself and contributions from liberal activist PAC ActBlue. ActBlue has also been one of Barack Obama’s most significant fundraising sources.