Washington, D.C. 一 Today, Congressman Cloud led a letter with over 50 Republican Members of Congress in an effort to gather answers from the Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Marvin Richardson for a proposed regulation that would essentially lead to the creation of a national gun registry.

Under current law, federal firearms licensees (FFLs)一such as gun store owners一must turn in their firearm transaction records to the ATF once they close their business. FFLs can discard firearms transaction records older than 20 years. However, the Biden Administration is proposing a rule requiring FFLs to preserve firearm transaction records older than 20 years. This would enable the ATF to receive firearm transaction records from any point in time, allowing it to collect more information on American gun owners. 

Congress has made it clear that the ATF shall not create a centralized gun registry or database by law. However, the Biden Administrations’ proposed rule could result in 100% of all Firearm Transaction Records (Form 4473s) eventually ending up in an ATF database, thereby establishing a federal gun registry.

This proposed rule, combined with the revelation that the ATF has collected 54.7 million records in 2021 alone, has rightly given many gun owners cause for concern.

“The Biden Administration is yet again ignoring the real threats against America and instead using political leverage to encroach on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens,” Congressman Cloud said. “This proposed rule would be a giant leap towards a federal firearm registry, which is explicitly banned by law. The ATF needs to be held accountable to ensure it does not sidestep the Constitution.”

“If the Biden administration continues with its planned changes, ATF’s registry eventually will include 100% of firearm transactions – sucking up every record since 2001,” said Aidan Johnston, director of federal affairs for Gun Owners of America. “These plans for a national registry violate federal law, infringe on the Second Amendment, and put law-abiding gun owners on the path to total gun confiscation.”

You can read the letter HERE.

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