Washington, March 31 (IANS) Senior US lawmakers have pressed the Commerce Department to release detailed data on exports of American-made semi-automatic weapons, citing concerns that such sales are fuelling criminal violence abroad.

In a letter to Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Jeffrey Kessler, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Gregory Meeks said US firearm exports account for a significant share of crime guns traced globally.

Data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) shows that legal US firearm exports are responsible for “almost 20 per cent of crime gun traces in Central America and over 37 per cent globally outside of North America.”

The lawmakers warned that “Without proper controls, legal firearm exports are often diverted into the underground market and end up arming militia, cartels, and other criminal actors abroad, particularly in the Western Hemisphere.”

They said this trend risks undermining US national security and foreign policy objectives.

“As this Administration attempts to combat cartels and other transnational criminal organizations in the Western Hemisphere, it must ensure that the illicit and legal flow of US-made weapons across our borders are not contributing to instability and violence and undercutting the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” the lawmakers wrote.

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

Under the law, the Commerce Department is required to provide relevant information to congressional committees upon request, including data tied to export licences and regulatory compliance.

In the letter, the lawmakers have asked the department to provide a comprehensive breakdown of exports of semi-automatic firearms and related accessories, including rifles, pistols, shotguns and associated components classified under specific export control categories.

Their request seeks monthly data since January 2025 on the number of licences approved, countries receiving the exports, and the types and volumes of weapons authorised for sale.

They also asked for details on the type of buyers involved, including whether exports were approved for wholesale distributors, retailers or individual customers.

In addition, the lawmakers requested “a detailed accounting and list of prior notifications provided to Congress” and information on any monitoring conducted to track diversion of weapons into illicit markets.

It seeks information on pre- and post-shipment checks carried out by the Bureau of Industry and Security, as well as the number of personnel assigned to monitor such diversion risks.

--IANS

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