Republicans warn ATF taking ‘giant leap toward a federal firearm registry’

A group of House Republicans is warning that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) could be laying the groundwork for a backdoor federal gun registry.

Republican Rep. Michael Cloud of Texas led 51 of his colleagues in a letter to acting ATF Director Marvin Richardson on Monday, expressing their concern over a proposed rule by the agency that Republicans fear could eventually lead to a backdoor gun registry around Congress’ prohibition.

The recently-proposed rule essentially removes the 20-year burn date that the federal firearms licensees must abide by, requiring them to preserve firearm purchase records older than two decades.

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While the preservation of records may not seem like a big deal, the federal licensees are required to submit their records to the ATF upon closing up shop – meaning every American gun owner’s record would eventually end up in the ATF’s hands.

“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 told Fox News in a statement.

“This proposed rule would be a giant leap toward a federal firearm registry, which is explicitly banned by law,” the Texas Republican continued. “Requiring federal firearm licensees to preserve records older than 20 years will enable the Biden administration to collect more information on law-abiding gun owners, all with the purpose of eventually having a registry of every gun owner in the United States.”

Aidan Johnston, the director of federal affairs for the gun rights advocacy group Gun Owners of America, warned in a statement to Fox News that the ATF would have every gun…