House GOP launches inquiry into Biden ATF gun sales rule: ‘Universal gun registry’

EXCLUSIVE — Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX), chairman of the House Small Business Committee, is launching an investigation into a new rule from the Biden administration making single-sale gun sellers subject to gun dealing licenses.

In September, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives proposed a change to the definition of “engaged in the business of selling firearms” to include anyone who sells a firearm with the “predominant purpose” of profit.

A letter from Williams to ATF Director Steven Dettelbach, obtained exclusively by the Washington Examiner, notes the proposed rule would force nearly 25,000 new persons to legally register for a Federal Firearms License, “functionally turning them into a small business.”

“The ATF’s new rule would force thousands of gun enthusiasts to register as Federally Licensed Firearms Dealers,” Williams told the Washington Examiner. “Criminals will simply ignore this new requirement while law-abiding citizens will be forced to submit their information to the ATF as another backdoor attempt to make a universal gun registry. This ridiculous new requirement will do nothing to improve public safety and only shows the Biden Administration’s contempt for the Second Amendment.”

The new rule would require a gun owner who wishes to sell only one of their firearms to register as an FFL if they plan to make a profit, the letter states. It also notes that many gun owners do not wish to become businesses and are also not prepared to do so.

“ATF has determined that this proposed rule would impact unlicensed persons who would now have to become licensed dealers to lawfully operate as a small business,” the proposed rule states. “Because some of these unlicensed persons may transact in low-volume firearms sales to predominantly earn a profit, the costs to become an FFL could have an impact on their overall profit from firearms transactions.”

Williams and the committee are demanding answers from the ATF on the rule’s effect on small businesses, much of which was left out of the rule, the letter launching the inquiry states. One item requested is the cost in fees from small businesses to the ATF imposed by the new rule.

It also states that the Regulatory Flexibility Act requires government agencies to consider less costly, suitable alternatives to regulations on small businesses, for which Williams is requesting a detailed audit of their considerations as well as an explanation as to why the ATF did not include this analysis in the proposed rule.

The committee is also requesting an accounting of how many of the 25,000 new persons the ATF believes will stop selling firearms altogether due to the new rule.

The ATF declined to comment but confirmed it received the letter from Williams.