Responsibility for the executive branch ultimately lies with the President. Apparently President Bush finds this policy decision by his subordinates at least acceptable.
I can't wait for Bush to take office an get rid of these Clinton appointees.
This is a Bush appointment, plain and simple. Bush's position on the 2nd Amendment is that, since he was better than Gore, it got him elected. If he decides the wind's shifted and he'll somehow get more votes by instituting something the gun control crowd supports even though it violates the 2nd Amendment he'll go for it the same as his father did.
It's up to the pro 2nd Amendment community to make sure Bush understands that little lapses like this one aren't going to be forgotten and will erode his already thin electoral base. Like his father, my guess is he'll allow the natural arrogance that runs in his family, combined with his high (and IMHO temporary) approval ratings and core beliefs (more Rockefeller than Reagan), to make the 2004 election night tally a lot more exciting than he'd like it to be.
This is one of the hard truths conservatives are going to have to admit.