Opinion ID: 525091
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Accordance with Law

Text: 44 By arguing that the imposition of the temporary suspension without conducting a hearing violates the Gun Control Act's and the Administrative Procedure Act's (APA) procedural rules, GSI essentially argues that the temporary suspension is otherwise not in accordance with law. The Government responds to this attack by arguing that the procedural provisions on which GSI relies do not apply to the temporary suspension. We find the Government's argument persuasive. 45 First, GSI argues that the imposition of the suspension without a hearing violates section 926(b) of the Act. Section 926(b) requires the Secretary to give notice and an opportunity to be heard prior to promulgating regulations. See 18 U.S.C.A. Sec. 926(b) (West Supp.1989). This section only applies when the Secretary engages in rulemaking. 46 The Bureau has not engaged in rulemaking, but has merely suspended certain firearms from importation while it individually reassesses several permit determinations. These activities which involve applying the law to the facts of an individual case, do not approach the function of rulemaking. See York v. Secretary of Treasury, 774 F.2d 417, 420 (10th Cir.1985) (classification of firearm as machine gun is not a rulemaking of any stripe.). Such a determination is more analogous to making a licensing decision which the APA classifies as an order rather than a rule. See 5 U.S.C. Secs. 551(6), (7) & (9) (defining licensing as agency process respecting the grant, renewal, denial, revocation, suspension, amendment, withdrawal, limitation, amendment ... of a license.). Thus, because these actions do not constitute rulemaking, the Bureau did not violate section 926(b). 47 Second, we reject GSI's argument that the Government violated the APA by imposing the suspension without a hearing. Under the APA, an agency must provide notice and an opportunity to respond before revoking a license. 5 U.S.C.A. Sec. 558 (1977). As discussed above, the Bureau has not revoked GSI's license or its permits; import suspension does not constitute rulemaking; therefore, the suspension does not violate the APA's procedural requirements. 48