A group of U.S. Senators, including Sen. Roger Marshall, M.D., introduced legislation designed to improve the fairness, speed, and transparency of background checks and application processes for National Firearms Act (NFA) items. The proposed ATF Transparency Act aims to ensure that law-abiding gun owners experience a fair and efficient application process when exercising their Second Amendment rights.

The bill would codify an appeals process to protect Americans from wrongful denials of background checks, require the ATF to process applications within three days (with automatic approval if not), and mandate the Government Accountability Office and DOJ to report on unresolved background checks and recommend ways to improve the process.

“As a lifelong gun owner and supporter of the Second Amendment, I came to the Senate with the mission of protecting this sacred Constitutional right of all Kansans,” said Senator Marshall. “The ATF Transparency Act furthers this mission by requiring the ATF to develop an appeals process to protect Americans’ background checks from being wrongfully denied. This is a commonsense step forward to safeguard the Second Amendment, and I am proud to stand alongside my colleagues in support.”