A group of Republican senators sent a letter Thursday calling on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to slash numerous Biden-era gun rules.
The letter, led by Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn and co-signed by dozens of other lawmakers, called on ATF Deputy Director Marvin G. Richardson to review and strike down numerous rules and policies enacted during the Biden administration, such as the “ghost gun” and pistol brace rules, “zero-tolerance” policies for dealer violations and the “engaged in business” rule. President Donald Trump issued the executive order on Feb. 7, directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to review “all orders, regulations, guidance, plans, and other actions by the Biden Administration regarding firearms.”
Although many of the policies are on pause as they face legal challenges from gun rights activists, many still are on the books today.
“Under former President Joe Biden, ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections,” the letter reads. “President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations. We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies.”
Biden enacted a new “ghost gun” rule in 2022, which treated uncompleted lower receivers as full firearms. The law is currently being challenged at the Supreme Court.
Another Biden-era rule the senators want gone is the “engaged in business” rule, which was enacted in April 2024 and intended to close the so-called “gun show loophole” by changing who is considered a firearms dealer to extend to some private citizens.
Critics argue that the rule criminalizes regular Americans by subjecting them to overbearing ATF oversight. The law was enjoined in federal court in June, halting its enforcement until litigation is resolved.
Biden’s pistol brace rule was enacted in 2023, mandating all owners of brace-stabilized pistols register their firearms within 120 days of the order. The rule was also struck down in court.
Under the Biden administration, there was a “zero-tolerance” policy for violations from federal firearms license (FFL) dealers, which would not tolerate even the smallest violations of protocol. The letter alleges the rule violates a “decades-long precedent of ATF working with FFLs to address these minor, unintentional violations,” according to the letter.
Cornyn previously introduced a law in January to allow concealed carry permits to work in all 50 states. Additionally, Republican North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson introduced his own version in the House.
The ATF did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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