Crapo, Risch, Colleagues Oppose Biden DOJ Expanding Firearm Definitions and Creating National Gun Registry

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and 19 colleagues in introducing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) Joint Resolution of Disapproval to prohibit President Biden’s U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) from implementing a new rule to expand firearm definitions.  

“The Administration is using all of its tools, including circumventing the legislative process, to go after law-abiding gun owners and firearms vendors,” said Crapo.  “I will continue to press for policies that address violent crime without compromising law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment rights.” 

“The Biden Administration continues to pile on burdensome regulations that impact Idahoan’s Constitutional freedoms,” said Risch.  “I will do everything in my power to defend the Second Amendment and oppose any infringement on the right to bear arms.”

The Biden Administration wants to institute a final rule redefining a “firearm” under federal law to not only mean a complete product, but also its individual parts.  If implemented, this new rule would require gun kits and gun parts to be regulated as if they were fully functional firearms--meaning they would not be able to be sold without a serial number or without the buyer undergoing a background check.  The new rule would also require those with Federal Firearms Licenses to retain records permanently, in effect creating a national firearms registry.  The current rule, which the Biden Administration seeks to change, allows for the disposal of records after 20 years.  

According to the Government Accountability Office, “The CRA allows Congress to review ‘major’ rules issued by federal agencies before the rules take effect.  Congress may also disapprove new rules, resulting in the rules having no force or effect.”

Additional co-sponsors of the resolution include Senators James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Josh Hawley (R-Arkansas), Tom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) and Rand Paul (R-Kentucky).

Read the resolution here.

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