On Tuesday, none of the major English or Spanish-language networks devoted any news coverage during their evening newscasts to the decision by the Obama administration to not follow through with a proposed ban on ammunition that is often used in AR-15s.
The move by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) comes after an overwhelming response from gun owners, gun rights advocates, and members of Congress expressing opposition to the ban.
The ATF ruled on Tuesday that it would give the topic “more study” after “the vast majority” of the public comments that it had received were “critical” of the ban.
According to The Washington Times:
On its Twitter account, the agency told the public, “You spoke, we listened.” More than 80,000 people had written to the agency, which pulled the proposal even before its public comment period was to end Monday.
Republican lawmakers and other Second Amendment supporters hailed the decision, saying it demonstrated the strength of gun owners and/or was a rebuke to another attempt at executive power overreach by the Obama administration.
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A majority of the House and Senate already had gone on record in opposition to the proposal, which would have banned .223-caliber M855 “green tip” ammo.
While English-language networks ABC, CBS, and NBC joined with Spanish-language networks MundoFox, Telemundo, and Univision in failing to cover the story, the Fox News Channel’s Special Report did mention it during its Tuesday show.
Host Bret Baier read the following 23-second news brief regarding the decision:
President Obama's plan to ban a popular type of ammunition for one of the most commonly used rifles in the country has failed. The ATF announced today it is abandoning the effort to get rid of the M855 bullet used in the AR-15. Objections came from 291 members of congress and gun rights advocates were harshly critical of that idea.
Following the announcement, the Media Research Center’s Geoffrey Dickens reported that the only network coverage from when the ban was still being considered came when CBS This Morning aired a brief on February 27 and then a full report on March 3.
With more context on the Obama administration’s reversal, here’s more from the Times article:
It was another sharp setback for President Obama’s efforts at gun control, though on a lower profile than the administration’s failed attempt to enact background checks on gun purchases in 2013. Just on Monday, the White House had said the proposed ban was a “common-sense” measure that would save the lives of law enforcement officers.
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The ATF said after the public comment period closes Monday, it will “further evaluate the issues raised” by the public and provide “additional open and transparent process” before proceeding with any further action. It did not specify what action that might be.
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The proposed regulation, which would have banned the production and sale of the steel-tipped ammunition, was a response to an ATF report that claimed new handguns are capable of firing the ammunition. But the new AR-15 “handguns” are nearly 2 feet long and weigh about 6 pounds, making them difficult to conceal in the manner handguns are usually defined as being.
The transcript of the brief that aired on FNC’s Special Report with Bret Baier on March 10 can be found below.
FNC’s Special Report with Bret Baier
March 10, 20156:17 p.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Ammunition Ban Fails]
BRET BAIER: President Obama's plan to ban a popular type of ammunition for one of the most commonly used rifles in the country has failed. The ATF announced today it is abandoning the effort to get rid of the M855 bullet used in the AR-15. Objections came from 291 members of congress and gun rights advocates were harshly critical of that idea.
