Risch Urges DOJ to Investigate ATF’s Illegal Gun Registry

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Risch (R-Idaho) today sent a letter to the Department of Justice urging an immediate investigation into an illegal gun registry maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Federal law prohibits the creation and maintenance of a national gun registry. However, the ATF currently possesses more than 1.4 billion records relating to firearm owners, registrations, and transactions. “American citizens are entitled to exercise their Second Amendment rights without the federal government compiling searchable lists of their names and firearms,” wrote Risch. “We ask for your decisive leadership to end this registry and prevent its expansion.” Risch is joined by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Tedd Budd (R-N.C.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) in sending the letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche. Senator Risch has long fought to end the ATF’s illegal gun registry. Risch introduced the No REGISTRY Rights Act to force the ATF to delete all existing firearm transaction records and prevent the creation of any future firearms registry. Read the full letter here . ​