Lawmakers voted late Wednesday for limits on the amount of ammunition that can be purchased by the Department of Homeland Security.
The measure — a proposal to amend the DHS spending bill — came by way of Republican Rep. Mark Meadows and passed 234-192, The Associated Press reported. The amendment prohibits taxpayer dollars from being sent to DHS for ammunition buys unless the agency first sends a report to Congress detailing its previous like purchases.
The report must also include the agency’s past ammunition usages, AP reported.
DHS has been at the heart of criticism from lawmakers, Second Amendment groups, and others who say the agency has been buying up massive — and unnecessary — amounts of ammunition and that has led to depleted stocks in stores, as well as inflated prices.
A DHS procurement officer said in April to a House subcommittee that the department was planning to buy 750 million rounds in the next five years.
The amendment must still be approved by the full House as an addition to the DHS funding bill and then go to the Senate for debate.
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• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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