On Thursday, the White House withdrew its nominee for the presidency of the federal firearms agency, a move prompted by Senate members fearful of infringing on the right to bear arms. President Joe Biden, in his plan to combat gun violence, had chosen former police officer David Chipman, a strong advocate for gun control, to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is noteworthy that the Senate has not confirmed a head for this agency since 2015. Gun violence activists had praised Biden's choice, given that gun violence claimed 43,500 lives in the United States in 2020, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Democratic and independent members needed to vote in favor of Chipman's appointment, along with Vice President Kamala Harris, who holds the tie-breaking vote. However, divisions emerged within this bloc regarding Chipman, as reported by The New York Times and The Washington Post. At least three senators expressed concern over Chipman's previous statements that seemed opposed to gun ownership. Biden expressed regret over the exclusion of his nominee while Republican leaders praised the withdrawal of Chipman's nomination. In a statement, the President said, "Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress have shown they intend to inject gun violence into the political debate instead of adopting concrete measures to eradicate it," without any mention of divisions within his camp.
In any case, the withdrawal of Chipman's nomination is further evidence of the impact of the gun lobby on Congress. On Thursday, the National Rifle Association, the largest gun lobby in the country, welcomed this as a "major victory" for its members and law-abiding gun owners.
