Getting Rid of Atf's Illegal Lists of Law-Abiding Americans

Floor Speech

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Mr. GOSAR. Madam Speaker, I rise to demand that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) destroy their illegal lists of law-abiding gun-owning American citizens.

The Firearms Owners' Protections Act of 1986, 18 U.S.C. 926(A)(3), says that ``No such rule or regulation prescribed after the date of the enactment of the Firearms Owners' Protection Act may require that records required to be maintained under this chapter or any portion of the contents of such records, be recorded at or transferred to a facility owned, managed, or controlled by the United States or any State or any political subdivision thereof, nor that any system of registration of firearms, firearms owners, or firearms transactions or dispositions be established.'' There could not be a clearer prohibition on lists of gun owners.

However, incredibly ATF has 920,664,765 records. And 94 percent of those records are digitized. But never fear, we must trust ATF's word that these records are ``nonsearchable.'' But it begs the question; why have a database if it is unsearchable? Their excuse is ludicrous. This is a gun registry of lawful gun-owning citizens clearly prohibited by federal law.

And they want more people on the list. The current process is already illegal and unconstitutional, as all firearms dealers are required to turn over EVERY record to the ATF when they lose their federal license. But now, the Biden administration's new regulations require that ALL records be kept.

ATF has engaged in another troubling unconstitutional action--this time a violation of due process. Congressional candidate Laura Loomer was never notified that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) found her possession of a firearm a violation of federal law. The only reason she became aware of the FBI's decision was due to the fact that she made several inquiries after being denied a concealed carry permit.

In other words, the federal government did not tell Ms. Loomer that she was illegally owning firearms--a clear violation of due process. DOJ has still not yet responded to a letter I sent them over six months ago asking for clarification on this issue.

The ATF is a rogue control agency violating American rights at every opportunity. They do not just want every gun serialized--they even want gun parts serialized. And they cleverly changed the definition of machine gun so that more guns would be considered illegal.

I have introduced a bill, the No Gun Lists Act, that would force ATF to destroy all the ATF's illegal lists of gun-owning Americans. And the creation of any new lists is expressly prohibited. Furthermore, the bill would allow negatively affected individuals to sue the ATF for damages done by the agency in violation of the bill.

These abuses of the Constitution--whether the Second Amendment or due process--must be opposed at all costs.

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