New York’s Rep. Steve Israel is a committed member of the progressive anti-liberty caucus attempting to push a new bill they call the “Modernize Law Enforcement Protection Act.”

It is nothing more or less than an attempt to ban all centerfire and some rimfire rifle ammunition.

Let’s look at the Congressman’s press release, fisking it as we go.

After the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) caved to the gun lobby and delayed a proposal to ban “green tip” ammunition, Congressman Steve Israel (NY-03) called on ATF to reevaluate the decision and immediately ban 5.56 mm M855 green tip ammunition, commonly referred to as “armor-piercing” or “cop-killer” bullets.

M855 ammunition is not “commonly referred to” as armor-piercing in any context. M855 is not considered armor-piercing by the United States military. M995 ammunition is the armor-piercing 5.56 round used by our armed forces; all real armor-piercing small arms ammunition in the military is color-coded with a black tip, not a green tip.

Rep. Israel and his allies are likewise blatantly lying when they claim that M855 is “commonly referred to” as a “cop killer” round. M855 has never been linked to even one instance of a police officer being shot through his protective vest with an AR-15 pistol in the history of the United States.

To the best we can determine, the attempt to label M855 ammunition as “cop killer” ammunition is a plot progressive politicians and journalists that is just days old.

Additionally, Rep. Israel announced the Modernize Law Enforcement Protection Act that would extend the definition of armor-piercing ammunition to include all bullets that can pierce body armor and be used in  handguns.

You will note that this blatant assault on the Second Amendment isn’t limited to ammunition chambered by semi-automatic firearms, but ANY bullet that can be chambered in any handgun, which includes single-shot handguns. As single-shot handguns have been chambered in virtually every rifle caliber, and all centerfire and some rimfire rifle bullets can pierce Level II body armor designed only to stop handgun bullets, then this must be recognized as an attempt to ban all rifle ammunition, in every configuration, in every caliber.

Later this week, Rep. Israel will join colleagues to send a letter to ATF Director Todd Jones asking that he immediately review the proposal and ban armor-piercing ammunition.

Israel is furious that ATF is backing off of an unlawful plot to attempt to ban incredibly common training ammunition that is NOT armor-piercing under definition provided in the Law Enforcement Protection Act of 1986.

“The ATF’s decision to cave to the gun lobby and allow life threatening armor-piercing bullets to remain on the streets is not only reckless, but cowardly,” said Rep. Israel. “I stand with our law enforcement officers and first responders who risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe – ATF should stop jeopardizing their safety and Congress must pass common-sense gun safety laws to protect lives and keep our men and women in uniform safe.”

Oddly, Israel forgets to mention that the world’s largest law enforcement organization, the Fraternal Order of Police, has loudly and publicly stated that M855 ammunition simply is not a threat to law enforcement officers. Why let facts get in the way of tyranny?

“This legislation is an important step to protect law enforcement from ammunition that may penetrate body armor. Technology often outpaces legislation and the continuing review of new products by the Attorney General’s office will protect from future loopholes in the law,” said Nassau County Acting Commissioner of Police Thomas C Krumpter.

Like most police brass in New York, Krumpter was appointed to his position by Democrat politicians. Do you think he will convert “acting commissioner” to “commissioner” if he disagrees with the corrupt Democrat power structure in New York? Of course not.

On Tuesday, March 10, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives decided to delay its proposal to update its framework for evaluating armor-piercing ammunition under the Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act (LEOPA) of 1986. This would leave dangerous ammunition on the streets.

By “dangerous ammunition,” Israel would seem to mean “all ammunition.” Once again, M855 is a common training round, and has been relegated to a training role because it isn’t effective as an anti-personnel round. It causes less damage than any other 5.56 bullet that we are aware of, a fact born out in formal and informal ballistics tests, and more than 2 decades of combat use. Special Operations forces, the Army, and the Marines have all relegated M855 to a training role. Law enforcement and other law-abiding gun owners use it in that same way.

Specifically, the Modernize Law Enforcement Protection Act introduced with Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), would require the Attorney General to modify the definition of armor-piercing ammunition to conform to the performance of the bullet. Current law limits the definition for armor-piercing ammunition as bullets or bullet cores used in handguns which are made from one or a combination of certain metals. It would also require the Attorney General to establish testing criteria to assess a bullet’s lethality against the minimum standards of body armor worn by law enforcement personnel.

It’s curious that Rep. Israel refuses to define those “minimum standards.” That is perhaps because Level I vests are designed to stop only shell fragments and anemic handgun and standard .22LR rimfire rounds. Any modern defensive pistol bullet in 9mm, 40 S&W, and .45ACP will blow through a Level I vest.

Perhaps Israel wants to ban all handgun ammunition as well?

This new legislation makes necessary updates to previous common-sense gun safety protections for law enforcement. In 1986, the Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act (LEOPA) was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan to  ban armor piercing bullets for handguns but not for hunting rifles. Because of significant developments in bullet propellants, coatings and materials, such as Teflon, the original Law Enforcement Protection Act of 1986 is now outdated.

For a sitting Congressman, Rep. Israel plays the role of a village simpleton rather convincingly. Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene) does not now, nor has it ever, made bullets “armor-piecing.” It is simply a coating designed to reduce barrel wear. This idiotic claim has been debunked time and again.

As a result, the marketplace has been flooded by growing volumes of ammunition that are fully capable of piercing body armor while skirting the definition of the 1986 ban.

This is simply a meaningless, fact-free statement, devoid of truth, reason, or logic.

Before 2011, few manufacturers sought exemptions and the ATF only granted two, including for “green tip” 5.56 mm bullets because they were largely used for hunting.

Again, “green tips” are largely used for training. They are rarely used for hunting, but when they are they are sued for small game and varmints, as they lack the terminal performance against anything much larger than 40 lbs.

“Green tip” ammunition can now be used in some types of handguns, and is capable of penetrating a police officer’s body armor or bullet-proof vest when fired.

We’ve addressed this numerous times, and have specifically noted that law enforcement doesn’t find M855 to be a threat.

Rep. Steve Israel and his anti-gun progressive Democrat allies are attempting to manufacture an excuse to ban all rifle ammunition, thoroughly gutting the Second Amendment.

Isn’t it time someone asked him why?

* * *

I took Israel to task on Twitter this morning, and noted some of the hundreds of common rifle cartridges used for target shooting, hunting, and self-defense that Israel and his tyrannical allies would outlaw.

Twitchy documented the high points. Perhaps you should give it a read, and then ask your own questions of Rep. Israel.

For some reason, his staff refuses to answer me.