Congressman Lamborn Fights Dismantle Potential ATF Gun Registry

Statement

Today, Congressman Doug Lamborn joined Congressman Michael Cloud and 43 Republican colleagues in introducing the No Retaining Every Gun In a System That Restricts Your (REGISTRY) Rights Act to stop the Biden administration from stockpiling firearms records and building a national firearms registry.

Under current law, when a Federal Firearm Licensee (FFL) goes out of business, their firearm transaction records from the past 20 years must be transferred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The ATF then enters these records into a database called the ​​Out-of-Business Records Imaging System (OBRIS). The Biden Administration has proposed a rule that would mandate FFLs keep their records in perpetuity and provide them to the AFT. Through a series of letters, Congressman Lamborn and Congressman Cloud uncovered that the ATF has acquired nearly a billion firearm transaction records. Should the proposed rule be finalized, this number will only grow and could lead to the ATF having information on every American gun owner.

The No REGISTRY Rights Act would require ATF to delete all existing firearm transaction records accumulated by the ATF, dismantling their current database and possibly preventing the creation of a federal gun registry. The bill would also require FFLs to destroy their firearm transaction records once they go out of business, ensuring the ATF doesn't continue to accumulate these records.

"I was glad to join Congressman Cloud and so many of my colleagues in Congress, to push back against the Biden Administration's persistent effort to usurp the 2nd Amendment rights of American citizens," said Congressman Doug Lamborn. "This is a massive government overreach, and Americans have every right to be concerned about the ever-increasing data being stored by the ATF. I will continue to demand strong oversight to hold the ATF accountable and work to ensure a federal firearms registry is never implemented."

"The Second Amendment is clear, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed," Congressman Michael 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."

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