Austin News

On May 15, 2024, U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and 42 Senate Republicans introduced a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act. The resolution aims to strike down the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) rule on the definition of “Engaged in the Business” as a Dealer in Firearms. Critics argue that this rule ignores the law and congressional intent and violates the Constitution by requiring anyone who sells a firearm to register as a federal firearm licensee.

“This rule is proof that the Biden administration is a dishonest broker, and Congress must hold it accountable for its actions in favor of its gun-grabbing liberal base over the Constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans,” said Sen. Cornyn.

Sen. Tillis added, “It is outrageous that the Biden Administration decided to take a good faith effort to curb the mental health crisis across our country and turn it into an unconstitutional attempt to restrict firearms from law-abiding American citizens.”

The resolution has been joined by Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) along with several other Senators. Representative Andrew Clyde (GA-09) is leading the resolution in the House of Representatives.

“The ATF’s ‘engaged in the business’ rule represents President Biden’s latest attempt to institute universal background checks, advance the Left’s radical gun control agenda, and infringe on Americans’ Second Amendment rights,” said Rep. Clyde.

The resolution has received endorsements from Gun Owners of America (GOA), National Rifle Association (NRA), and National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).

“Gun Owners of America is supportive of Senator Cornyn’s efforts to block President Biden’s new ATF rule criminalizing private firearms sales," said GOA Director of Federal Affairs Aidan Johnston.

“With a stroke of the pen, the Biden Administration once again oversteps its authority with this new rule,” said NRA-ILA Executive Director Randy Kozuch.

“President Biden is using rulemaking by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to impose so-called ‘Universal Background Checks’ rejected by Congress,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane.

The resolution builds on a comment filed by Sens. Cornyn and Tillis to the ATF last year arguing that this rule goes expressly against congressional intent of their Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the largest investment in community-based mental health care in American history.