WASHINGTON, D.C.–Today, Congressman Michael Cloud (TX-27) led a congressional letter to the Biden Administration opposing the recently announced ban on Russian ammunition imports. This ban will exacerbate an existing ammunition shortage in the U.S., driving up prices for Americans.

On August 20, the State Department announced that it would be imposing a series of sanctions to punish the Putin Regime for the use of Novichok to poison opposition leader, Aleksey Navalny. While Russia should be punished for the poisoning of Aleksey Navalny, the Administration is leveraging its authority to bypass Congress and implement gun control. 

According to several ammunition suppliers, as much as 30-40% of all ammunition in the United States comes from Russia. If the Administration wanted to punish Russia, it could have maintained effective sanctions on the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Instead, it lifted some of the most severe sanctions a few months ago. 

Rep. Cloud and the Republican lawmakers noted, “This ban will certainly be more punitive to American citizens than to Russia. Already, there is an ammunition shortage in our country that is driving up prices for consumers. According to MKS Supply, one of the largest importers of Russian ammunition, the United States imports as much as 30-40% of its ammunition from Russia, and the ban would exacerbate this shortage further.”

It is important that domestic manufacturers begin to eventually produce enough ammunition, to satisfy our domestic demand for this type of ammunition. Until then, this import ban appears to be a Biden Administration attempt at circumventing Congress to enact gun control.

“Amidst a national ammo shortage, both gun owners and shooting facilities have come to rely on imports to maintain ammunition availability and affordability. And so the Biden Administration has initiated this gun control, an attempt to make it more expensive—indeed cost-prohibitive—for gun owners to exercise their right to keep and bear arms. Gun Owners of America can only understand this ban as an infringement on the Second Amendment—bypassing Congress to implement gun control,” said Aidan Johnston, Director of Federal Affairs for Gun Owners of America.

The letter was co-signed by Senator Cruz (R-TX), Representatives Clyde (R-GA), Herrell (R-NM), Aderholt (R-AL), Duncan (R-SC), Lamborn (R-CO), Perry (R-PA), Biggs (R-AZ), Good (R-VA), Weber (R-TX), Mullin (R-OK), Rosendale (R-MT), McClain (R-TN), Harris (R-MD), Lesko (R-AZ), Posey (R-FL), Griffith (R-VA), Keller (R-PA), Brooks (R-AL), Moore (R-AL), Roy (R-TX), Bishop (R-NC), Baird (R-IN), Stefanik (R-NY), Greene (R-GA), Sessions (R-TX), Gohmert (R-TX), Norman (R-SC), and Boebert (R-CO).

Click HERE for a copy of the letter.

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