OVERNIGHT REGULATION: Republicans look to roll back gun regs

Welcome to OVERNIGHT REGULATION, your daily rundown of news from Capitol Hill and beyond. It’s Wednesday evening here in Washington and we’re happy it’s hump day because one of us has a birthday tomorrow. (Lydia).

Here’s the latest.

 

THE BIG STORY

The Obama administration’s gun policies are coming under fire from congressional Republicans.

The GOP is looking to roll back a number of controversial gun regulations from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) through provisions in a government spending bill.

{mosads}Lawmakers are close to passing a bill to fund the Department of Justice, which oversees the ATF, but certain provisions would prohibit the agency from banning certain forms of armor-piercing ammunition and collecting information about the race and ethnicity of gun owners, among other measures.

These gun provisions are being hotly debate in the House ahead of the spending bill’s passage, expected later Wednesday evening.

Republicans see it as a way to force the Obama administration to back down on gun control, but Democrats say this will lead to more gun violence. 

The National Rifle Association (NRA) is calling on Republicans to make a tough push to block the administration’s gun policies.

“We need to stop the Obama administration from bypassing Congress on gun control,” said NRA spokeswoman Jennifer Baker.

One of the provisions in the spending bill would prohibit the ATF from banning certain forms of armor-piercing ammunition. http://bit.ly/1Mmos5v

Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), who introduced the amendment to block future bullet bans, warned the ATF to keep its “hands off our guns.” 

But Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) called the provision a “poison pill.”

“Once again the Republicans are governing dangerously by offering a poison pill amendment that jeopardizes the safety of our law enforcement and first responders,” Israel said. “Congress should be passing common-sense gun safety laws to save lives and keep our men and women in uniform safe – not caving to the reckless demands of the gun lobby.”

Another provision would stop the ATF from collecting information about the race and ethnicity of gun owners. http://bit.ly/1EXa1P6

Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) called the ATF’s racial disclosure policy a “direct challenge to the Second Amendment rights enshrined in our Constitution.”

“We all want to see weapons kept out of the hands of criminals, but an individual’s race and ethnicity has nothing to do with their ability to safely own and operate a firearm,” Black said.

  

ON TAP FOR THURSDAY

The House Science, Space and Technology Committee will hold a hearing to discuss regulatory overreach by the Environmental Protection Agency and what impact it has on American competitiveness. http://1.usa.gov/1FuK222

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing to discuss the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015. http://1.usa.gov/1KakH47

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs’ Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management Subcommittee will hold a hearing to examine practical solutions to improve the federal regulatory process. http://1.usa.gov/1Gl9IoL

The Senate Judiciary’s Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts Subcommittee will hold a hearing to examine the process that led to the ObamaCare subsidy rule. http://1.usa.gov/1FUftpY

 

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

The Obama administration will publish 164 new regulations, proposed rules, notices and other administrative actions in Thursday’s edition of the Federal Register.

Here’s what to watch for:

–The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will issue new rules for the passenger civil aviation security service fee it charges to protect airports.

Passengers are charged a slight fee per flight to defray the costs of security.

The new rules include a round-trip limitation on how much TSA can charge for security.

The changes go into effect immediately. http://bit.ly/1RKhyKk

–The Department of Education will revise its mandatory civil rights data collection from public schools.

The civil rights data collection is used to ensure that schools are following the law.

The public has 60 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1Ie55u2

–The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will consider new renewable fuel standards for 2014, 2015, and 2016.

The agency said Monday it will hold a public hearing later this month to discuss the renewable fuel standards for these years.

The hearing will take place in Kansas City, Kan. on June 25. http://bit.ly/1FuIRji

–The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) will issue a recovery plan for bull trout.

The agency’s recovery plan includes six steps to protect the population of bull trout in the U.S. http://bit.ly/1dffZVI

–The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) will propose to remove protections for a certain rodent.

The Hualapai Mexican vole would no longer be endangered or threatened under the proposed rule.

The public has 60 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1IifWpz

 

NEWS RIGHT NOW

Guns: Republicans hope to block a controversial requirement that people disclose their race when purchasing a firearm. http://bit.ly/1EXa1P6

Chemicals: The House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced a toxic chemical safety bill on a nearly unanimous vote on Wednesday, clearing the bill to hit the House floor by the end of the month. http://bit.ly/1IicbRd

Religious freedom: As the Supreme Court prepares to issue a ruling on same-sex marriage, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is calling on Congress to protect the freedoms of religious institutions. http://bit.ly/1JqRh0J

Bullets: The Obama administration’s controversial bullet ban is coming under fire again from congressional Republicans. http://bit.ly/1Mmos5v

Dogs: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) on Wednesday introduced legislation that aims to ensure military service dogs come back to the U.S. after their tours are over. http://bit.ly/1KEGeQn

Votes: Democrats are challenging voter restrictions in battleground states, The New York Times reports. http://bit.ly/1Mmos5v

Transgender: Utah could soon have its first openly transgender elected official, The Huffington Post reports. http://huff.to/1G6IgZJ

Bad eggs: Avian flu is devastating the egg industry across the Midwestern U.S., NPR reports. http://n.pr/1FuSsY9

 

BY THE NUMBERS

2,000: How many dogs currently serve in various branches of the government.  

11 percent: How much of the transportation sector’s greenhouse gases come from airplanes

3 percent: The amout of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. that comes from airplanes.

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The government should be colorblind on all our rights — whether it’s the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, or the right to keep and bear arms,” — Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.), speaking about the ATF collecting information on the race and ethnicity of gun owners.

 

We’ll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill’s Regulation page (http://digital-staging.thehill.com/regulation) early and often for the latest. And send any comments, complaints or regulatory news tips our way, tdevaney@digital-staging.thehill.com or lwheeler@digital-staging.thehill.com. And follow us at @timdevaney and@wheelerlydia.

Click here to sign up for the newsletter: http://bit.ly/1pc6tau