Comment on FR Doc # 2026-09154

I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed rule allowing joint spousal registration of firearms and accessories regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA). This rule represents a long-overdue, common-sense modernization of NFA administration that eliminates unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles for lawful, background-checked citizens without compromising public safety. This proposed change should be finalized and implemented for three primary reasons: 1. It Aligns Federal Regulation with the Reality of Household Property Under current regulations, an individual who lawfully purchases an NFA item (such as a suppressor or short-barreled rifle) cannot permit their spouse to have unsupervised access to that item. If a husband leaves a registered suppressor in a shared home safe where his wife has access, or if a wife takes a registered item to a firing range without her husband present, they are technically in violation of federal law. Firearms in a married household are fundamentally shared property. Treating a spouse as an unauthorized "third party" creates an absurd legal minefield for otherwise entirely law-abiding citizens. This rule fixes a glaring disconnect between regulatory theory and household reality. 2. It Eliminates an Arbitrary "Wealth Tax" on a Constitutional Right Currently, the only legal workaround for spouses to share possession of NFA items is to pay an estate attorney to draft a custom NFA Gun Trust, or to utilize commercial trust services. This imposes an arbitrary financial burden—often hundreds of dollars—solely to exercise a Second Amendment right within a marriage. By allowing direct joint registration on Form 1 and Form 4 applications, the ATF removes this artificial financial barrier. It ensures that legal protection within a marriage is accessible to all citizens, not just those who can afford secondary legal entities. 3. It Maintains Strict Public Safety and Background Standards Opponents of NFA reform often argue that streamlining processes reduces oversight. However, this proposed rule preserves the integrity of the background check system. Under joint registration, both spouses must still undergo full NFA background checks, including fingerprinting and photograph submission. Because both individuals are fully vetted, public safety is maintained at 100%. The rule simply removes the redundant paperwork, administrative overhead, and artificial wait times associated with transferring items between spouses or forcing them into trusts.