Two senior Democratic lawmakers, Elizabeth Warren and Gregory Meeks, have formally urged the U.S. Commerce Department to provide detailed information on the export of semi-automatic firearms. In a letter addressed to Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler, the lawmakers expressed concern that legally exported American weapons may be contributing to criminal violence and strengthening cartel operations across the Western Hemisphere. Their request invokes oversight authority under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018.
The lawmakers have sought a comprehensive breakdown of export licenses approved since January 2025, covering semi-automatic rifles, pistols, shotguns, and related accessories. They have asked the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security to disclose the volume of licenses issued, destination countries, categories of buyers, and measures taken to prevent these weapons from being diverted into illegal markets. A full briefing and response have been requested by April 13.
Citing data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the letter highlights that U.S. firearm exports are linked to nearly 20% of traced crime guns in Central America and over 37% globally outside North America. The move follows recent efforts by Warren to tighten oversight on weapons distribution, including proposed legislation to restrict civilian access to military-grade ammunition. The issue has drawn renewed scrutiny since a 2023 pause by the Commerce Department on certain firearm export licenses to assess risks related to illegal diversion and regional instability.
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