FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN UPDATE . . . The National Shooting Sports Foundation reports that Federal agencies that provide customer services to the firearms and ammunition industry are affected by the shutdown. The FBI’s NICS Section is maintaining normal business hours. On the other hand, ATF’s Office of Enforcement Programs and Services (EPS), which includes the imports, firearms technology, NFA branches, the licensing center and firearms industry programs branch now processing marking variances, is effectively shut down, operating with minimal staff. The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) is accepting licenses, but only acting on them in genuine emergency situations. The Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is no longer accepting export license applications, classification requests (CCATS), encryption reviews, encryption registrations or advisory opinion requests. Similarly, BIS will not be issuing any final determinations. All pending export license applications, commodity classification requests, encryption reviews, encryption registrations and advisory opinion requests will be held without action by BIS until the shutdown ends.