MEMO

TO: Arkansas’s Second Amendment Supporters

FROM: Senator John Boozman 

RE: Opposition to David Chipman’s nomination to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Date: July 28, 2021

President Joe Biden has nominated David Chipman to serve as Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). I believe he is unfit to lead the bureau and will vote against his confirmation.  

Chipman has not proven that he supports the Second Amendment, and in fact his record exhibits the opposite. Given the ongoing efforts around the country to implement unfair and unconstitutional gun control laws, I believe the head of the ATF should have a solid understanding and be a strong advocate for the Second Amendment.  

Chipman has a deeply flawed interpretation of our individual right to keep and bear arms. He worked for the ATF for almost 25 years. After serving in supervisory roles in Michigan and Washington, D.C. he retired in 2012. He has since become a senior policy advisor at Giffords, a gun control group that advocates for stricter firearms laws. Chipman’s nomination is another clear signal from the president that gun control measures remain a key priority on the administration’s agenda.  

Chipman has even shown his contempt and disdain for legal gun buyers, equating the rise in the purchase of guns during the pandemic to preparing for a zombie attack, “…the people who hoarded guns might decide six months from now—once they see no zombies around but they’ve run out of tuna and beef jerky—that they need the money to buy food.” Openly mocking lawful gun owners for exercising their constitutional right is troubling for anyone, but coming from the person nominated to lead the ATF it is downright disturbing and unacceptable. 

I am a proud supporter of the Second Amendment and believe the Director of the ATF should not have a predisposed hostility to it. I have serious concerns with Chipman's track record of vocal support for extensive gun control measures and his mistaken understanding of the Second Amendment. That’s why I feel it is more important than ever to continue my strong and vocal support for our Second Amendment right and forcefully oppose his nomination. 

I’ve long been a champion of this fundamental right. As a member of the Second Amendment Task Force, I have been a constant advocate of efforts to protect and enhance the ability of law-abiding citizens to own firearms. I’ve fought to protect this founding principle by pushing back on the Biden administration’s policies and nominees that threaten to erode it, as well as by supporting legislation to defend it. Here are some of the highlights from this Congress: 

• Opposing the nomination of Merrick Garland to serve as U.S. Attorney General because of his stance on guns and his previous rulings as federal judge that threatened the right to keep and bear arms.
  
  
• Urging the administration to withdraw overreaching rules including the ATF’s proposed rule banning the use of stabilizing braces on firearms.
  
  
• Cosponsoring the Federal Firearm Licensee Protection Act of 2021, the Hearing Protection Act, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2021 and the Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Act.

Arkansans and Americans across our country understand the need to uphold and protect the Second Amendment. They are right, and I will continue that fight in the Senate.

***UPDATE: The U.S. Department of State is now advising Americans who plan to travel abroad to apply for a passport at least six months before their trip. 

A new alert on passport operations warns that routine passport applications may take up to 18 weeks. Expedited requests (with additional fees) may take up to 12 weeks.

Some passport facilities across the country are offering extremely limited appointments for Americans traveling within three days. To schedule an appointment use the agency’s Online Appointment System. Arkansans who cannot get an appointment at the facility in Hot Springs are encouraged to look for appointments at nearby facilities in Dallas and New Orleans.***

As I travel around Arkansas it is exciting to see all of the things that are returning to normal this summer. However, if you plan to go outside the continental United States or have a family member who wants to visit from another country, you may find that many of those processes are still anything but normal.

There are many factors causing delays and making certain types of travel difficult. Travelers need to plan ahead further in advance, be prepared to jump through new hoops and understand that some trips still aren’t possible. 

First, it is important to know that passport services are still delayed. Due to COVID-19, the lack of passport processing last year created a backlog and increased demands on the U.S. Passport Service. Travelers should plan for a routine application to take 10 to 12 weeks and an expedited passport to take four to six weeks.

For the last month, my office has been inundated with calls from Arkansans with passport problems. Unfortunately, officials cannot guarantee processing of last-minute requests for tourist and business travel. It has been very difficult to get an appointment with passport officials less than two weeks from a trip. If you plan to travel this fall, now is the time to check the expiration date on your passport or apply for a new one. The latest information can be found at travel.state.gov/passports. 

The second challenge involves visitors from other parts of the world who need a visitor visa to see friends and family in the U.S. Many of our embassies around the world are still operating at very limited capacity and not processing routine visas. Most are prioritizing life and death emergencies, critical workers and students registered in academic programs which means they are not issuing visas for typical tourism or business travel to the U.S. The best place to check on the status of each embassy is on the State Department’s website.

My staff and I are always happy to inquire with the appropriate agencies to find out what is possible. However, we have had to manage our expectations and let many people know that the visit they hoped for this summer cannot happen until our embassies return to normal.

The third challenge we are seeing is with pre-travel testing for COVID-19, particularly for islands within the United States and its territories. These small, isolated locations are appropriately vigilant about the spread of COVID-19 and often have very specific rules. It is critical that travelers to places like Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands carefully review the requirements before boarding a plane. Unfortunately, Arkansans have tested negative for COVID-19 and been forced to either leave or quarantine because they did not get their test at a preapproved location. 

The bottom line is that we all need to plan ahead and have patience this summer. Employees at these agencies are working hard to help as many Americans as they can, as quickly as possible. Hopefully we will begin to see rapid improvement in these processes and continue our march toward normalcy. As always, if you have any problems involving a federal government agency, please feel free to reach out to my office.