Rep. Cloud: New Democrat ATF rule a backdoor federal gun registry

carleyshaffer1November 28, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – MARCH 17: Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas) speaks during a news conference with members of the House Freedom Caucus about immigration on the U.S.-Mexico border outside the U.S. Capitol on March 17, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 11:52 AM PT – Sunday, November 28, 2021

Democrats are laying the groundwork for a federal gun registry, according to many House Republicans.

Texas Rep. Michael Cloud (R) sounded the alarm in a recent letter to the acting Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) director, which was signed by 51 GOP lawmakers. According to the Republicans, a recent rule change at the ATF aims to force manufacturers to keep manufacturing records beyond the current 20-year threshold.

They warned the Biden administration would use this to collect more information on law-abiding gun owners. This comes as the ATF has already taken over the records of nearly 55 million gun owners.

The ATF collected 54.7 million gun records in 2021 alone, giving many gun owners cause for concern.

Today I led 51 Republicans in opposition to a proposed rule which would lead to the collection of MORE gun records and could enable the creation of a national gun registry. https://t.co/0wQPiYUJv1

— Congressman Michael Cloud (@RepCloudTX) November 22, 2021

“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,” Cloud said in a statement.

The lawmakers wrote they “are concerned” the Biden administration is “leveraging its power in a way to establish a federal gun registry,” and expressed their opposition to the proposed rule in question.