Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Today, Congressman Michael Cloud (TX-27) led a group of 44 Republicans in introducing the No Retaining Every Gun In a System That Restricts Your (REGISTRY) Rights Act (embedded below) to ensure the federal government doesn’t build a federal firearms registry.
Under current law, a Federal Firearm Licensee (FFL) must give all of their firearm transaction records from the past 20 years to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The ATF maintains all of these records in the ​​Out-of-Business Records Imaging System (OBRIS) database.
The Biden Administration has proposed a rule that would require FFLs to maintain all firearm transaction records in perpetuity instead of destroying them after 20 years. There are valid concerns this rule will lay the groundwork for a back-door federal firearms registry, which led Congressman Cloud to launch an investigation into ATF’s (OBRIS) database.
Through a series of letters, Congressman Cloud and other Members of Congress uncovered that ATF has acquired nearly a billion firearm transaction records. Should the proposed rule be finalized, this number is only going to grow and could lead to the ATF having information on every American gun owner.
Congressman Cloud’s No REGISTRY Rights Act would require ATF to delete all existing firearm transaction records accumulated by the ATF, therefore dismantling their current database and preventing the possible creation of a federal gun registry.
The bill would also require Federal Firearm Licensees (FFLs) to destroy their firearm transaction records once they go out of business, ensuring the ATF doesn’t continue to accumulate these records.
American gun-owners are rightfully concerned about the Biden administration’s willingness to use their authority to impose restrictions on law-abiding Americans. And it is Congress’ job to provide the oversight to ensure a registry is never implemented.
“The Second Amendment is clear, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed,” Congressman Cloud said. “There is no reason for law-abiding American gun owners to be subjected to excessive scrutiny on the firearms they own by the federal government. My bill would dismantle ATF’s record-keeping, restore privacy for American gun owners, and reverse the groundwork laid in the creation of a federal firearms registry.”