HR5672-119

What This Bill Does

The Reducing Unnecessary Slowdowns in Handling Act sets processing deadlines for ATF applications. ATF must complete most applications for a license, permit, authorization, or required federal form within 90 calendar days after receipt, and applications relating to firearms licenses under 18 U.S.C. 923 within 60 calendar days. Within 90 days after enactment and every 90 days thereafter, ATF must report to House Oversight, House Judiciary, Senate Judiciary, and the public on each type of application received, approved, denied, pending, processing times, reasons for delays, and reasons for denials. ATF must create a process for applicants to appeal denials or compel completion when processing misses the statutory deadline. It must also identify causes of noncompliance, take corrective actions, eliminate repetitive reviews and unnecessary administrative steps, revise outdated or duplicative procedures, and implement the Act using existing salaries and expenses funds without hiring more personnel or acquiring additional resources.

Who Benefits and How

Firearms license applicants benefit from a 60-day statutory deadline and a process to appeal denials or compel late processing. Permit applicants before ATF benefit from a 90-day deadline and public reporting on delays and denials. Regulated firearms businesses benefit from more predictable ATF license, permit, authorization, and form processing timelines. Congressional oversight committees benefit from quarterly public data on ATF application workloads and bottlenecks.

Who Bears the Burden and How

ATF application processing staff must meet 60-day and 90-day deadlines using existing resources. ATF managers must create appeals, delay-compulsion, noncompliance-correction, and procedure-streamlining systems. ATF reporting staff must publish quarterly data in an easily accessible format. Applicants denied by ATF still bear the burden of using the new appeal process if they contest the denial.

Key Provisions

• Requires ATF to complete most covered applications within 90 calendar days.
• Requires ATF to complete firearms-license applications under 18 U.S.C. 923 within 60 calendar days.
• Requires quarterly congressional and public reports on application counts, processing times, delays, and denials.
• Requires appeal and delay-compulsion processes for applicants.
• Requires internal corrective actions and procedural streamlining using existing resources.