Young, Colleagues Urge ATF to Rescind Unconstitutional Biden Admin Rules, Align with Trump Admin 2A Agenda

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.)joined 29 of his Senate Republican colleagues in sending a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to urge the agency to identify and rescind former unlawful firearms regulations that were implemented under the Biden Administration. These unlawful regulations include the“Engaged in the Business” rule, thepistol brace rule, the “ghost gun” rule, and the “zero tolerance” policy. The letter also encourages the ATF to align with President Trump’s recentExecutive Orderto protect Second Amendment rights.
“On Friday, February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to reaffirm law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights in issuing his Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights.  We urge you to immediately align ATF’s rules and policies with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment,”the senators wrote.
“Under former President Joe Biden, ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections. President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations. We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies,”the senators continued.
In addition to Senator Young, U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), Jim Justice (R-W. Va.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) also signed the letter.
Full text of the letter can be foundhereand below:
Marvin G. Richardson
Deputy Director
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
99 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20226
Dear Deputy Director Richardson:
Thank you for your service in leading the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) during the presidential transition. On Friday, February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to reaffirm law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights in issuing his Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights.  We urge you to immediately align ATF’s rules and policies with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment.
Under former President Joe Biden, ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections. President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations. We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies. In particular, we call your attention to the following anti-Second Amendment regulations and policies, which must be immediately rescinded:
In addition to promptly rescinding these rules and policies, we urge you to immediately destroy the hundreds of millions of ATF Form 4473 firearm transaction records and other licensee records that are over 20 years old. These records have no particular law enforcement value but do contain the sensitive information of millions of law-abiding gun owners.  ATF should likewise return to the policy of allowing FFLs to destroy Form 4473 in their possession that are over 20 years old, which the Biden Administration initiated in violation of the federal prohibition on gun registration.  Ending the policy of retaining these very old records will save money for the American taxpayer and counteract ATF’s unconstitutional rule change.
Furthermore, we urge you to “continue collaboration to improve the process for” National Firearms Act applications. Congress recently instructed ATF to make these improvements.  While NFA wait times have improved significantly, ATF must continue to “address ongoing delays in application processing times” until the archaic process is at least as efficient as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. There is no reason that the right to purchase a firearm should be so greatly delayed; a right delayed is a right denied.
The foregoing should not be considered a full accounting of every action or policy for which ATF may be held responsible under President Trump’s Executive Order but represent obvious and high priority places for ATF to initiate compliance.
We look forward to working with you through the transition as you implement President Trump’s agenda and reorient ATF toward protecting Americans’ Second Amendment rights.
Sincerely,