Washington, March 31 (NationPress) In a significant move, prominent US lawmakers have urged the Commerce Department to disclose comprehensive statistics regarding the exportation of American-manufactured semi-automatic firearms. They express worries that these transactions might be exacerbating criminal violence on a global scale.

In a direct correspondence to Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, Jeffrey Kessler, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Gregory Meeks pointed out that the export of US firearms constitutes a notable portion of international crime-related firearms.

According to data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), legal firearm exports from the US are linked to “nearly 20 percent of crime gun traces in Central America and more than 37 percent globally outside of North America.”

The legislators cautioned that “Without adequate oversight, legal firearm exports frequently find their way into the black market, thereby equipping militias, cartels, and various criminal entities abroad, especially in the Western Hemisphere.”

They underscored that this issue poses a threat to US national security and its foreign policy goals.

“As the current Administration strives to tackle cartels and other transnational criminal enterprises in the Western Hemisphere, it is crucial to ensure that both illegal and legal flows of US-made weapons do not contribute to instability and violence, undermining the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” the lawmakers asserted.

Warren, who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and Meeks, who is the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, are seeking this information under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA), which mandates congressional oversight over export controls.

Under this legislation, the Commerce Department is obliged to provide pertinent information to congressional committees upon request, including data concerning export licenses and regulatory compliance.

In their letter, the lawmakers have requested a thorough breakdown of exports involving semi-automatic firearms and related equipment, such as rifles, pistols, shotguns, and associated components categorized under specific export control classifications.

They are seeking monthly data since January 2025 regarding the number of licenses approved, the countries that are recipients of these exports, and the types and quantities of weapons authorized for sale.

Additionally, they requested details about the buyers involved, including whether the exports were sanctioned for wholesale distributors, retailers, or individual clients.

Furthermore, the lawmakers called for “a detailed accounting and list of prior notifications provided to Congress” as well as information on any monitoring efforts aimed at tracking the diversion of weapons into illegal markets.

They seek insights on pre- and post-shipment inspections conducted by the Bureau of Industry and Security, along with the number of personnel assigned to oversee such diversion risks.