Gun Owners of America met in Knoxville to discuss the Second Amendment, firearms, and how to protect them both.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—At the Gun Owners of America’s (GOA) second annual Gun Owners Advocacy and Leadership Summit in Knoxville, Tennessee—held Aug. 9 to 10—one GOA official told The Epoch Times that the organization is committed to abolishing the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934.
While the 1934 law regulating fully automatic firearms and other devices was substantially neutered in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, GOA leaders said their work was not done.
Erich Pratt, GOA senior vice president, said the Trump administration has, on balance, supported the Second Amendment.
Pratt said much of the Biden administration’s gun control agenda has been reversed and that gun rights activists are busily working to expand Second Amendment rights. He said this work includes litigation, lobbying, and educating the public.
At the event, GOA speakers held up the recent changes to the NFA as a major victory for Second Amendment advocates, but added that their fight is not over.
“Well, what I would tell people is you can never be complacent. We always have to be vigilant. Otherwise, that’s when we lose our liberties,” Pratt told The Epoch Times.
GOA Director of Federal Affairs Aidan Johnston said the backstory of the NFA lawsuit that was filed by various gun groups against the Act is a clear example of the challenges that pro-gun activists face.
He said Second Amendment proponents wanted suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and “any other weapons” removed from the NFA.
However, there was little appetite—even among Republicans—to make such significant changes.
“So we had to spend months behind the scenes fighting,” Johnston said during a panel discussion. “Republicans could have done it the easy way, but they picked the hard way.”
Ultimately, Second Amendment advocates were able to have the items removed from the NFA and the $200 tax reduced to zero. Johnston said this set the stage for lawsuits that have been filed to declare the NFA unconstitutional.
