Hartzler Protects Second Amendment Rights, Leads Effort Against Burdensome and Unconstitutional Gun Rule

Press Release

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), alongside 45 of her House Republican colleagues, led the effort to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF) against a final rule restricting Second Amendment rights.

On April 11, 2022, the ATF announced its final rule to redefine "frame or receiver," and "firearm" under federal law. Additionally, the rule requires federal firearms licensees, including gun retailers, to retain firearm transaction records until they go out of business--indefinitely expanding the ATF's records retention beyond the current 20-year requirement.

The ATF's expanded definition of a firearm, including privately made firearms and gun parts or kits, effectively expands the ATF's already illegal billion-record gun registry housed in the National Tracing Center in West Virginia, further violating federal law.

In the letter, the members state:

"While the ATF may apply and enforce relevant laws passed by Congress, the ATF may not reinterpret laws in such a way that rewrites, undermines, or undoes what Congress has expressly legislated, especially if the sole intention is to broaden its regulatory authority for the purpose of eroding our Constitutional rights."

Members of Congress joining Hartzler in this effort are Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Rob Wittman (R-Va.), Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), Mary Miller (R-Ill.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Guy Reschenthaler (R-Penn.), Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wisc.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), John Rutherford (R-Fla.), Alex Mooney (R-W.V.), Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), John Rose (R-Tenn.), Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.), Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas), Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Adrian Smith (R-Neb.), Brian Mast (R-Fla.), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), William Timmons (R-S.C.), Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Rick Allen (R-Ga.), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), Steve Palazzo (R-Miss.), Brian Babin (R-Texas), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), and Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.).

Source