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Gun Owners of America’s Erich Pratt took his message straight to Capitol Hill this past week, delivering pointed testimony before the Senate on what he described as ongoing threats to the Second Amendment. Chief among them, a massive federal gun owner database.
Speaking before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Pratt got straight to the point. He argued that what the ATF has built is effectively a national registry in everything but name.
“In 2021, GOA exposed that the Biden administration had accumulated 54 million gun owner records in a single year,” Pratt told lawmakers.
He went further, citing ATF admissions that the database has grown to nearly 1 billion records, with roughly 94% already digitized, making it searchable and, in his view, vulnerable to abuse.
“This is gun owner registration, pure and simple,” Pratt said.
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That concern framed much of his testimony. Pratt repeatedly warned that such a database could be used as a roadmap for future confiscation efforts.
“That is a confiscation list waiting to be used,” he told the committee. He cited historical examples both in the United States and abroad.
Pratt specifically referenced past actions in places like New York City, where firearm registration efforts were later followed by bans and enforcement actions. As well as international examples like Australia and Venezuela.
Beyond the registry issue, Pratt also criticized the continued defense of Biden-era firearm regulations, including the pistol brace rule and the ATF’s “engaged in the business” rule, noting that legal challenges are still ongoing.
“The fact that a Republican DOJ is still defending Biden-era gun rules… should tell us everything,” he said.
Pratt urged Congress to take direct legislative action. They could back proposals like the No Registry Rights Act, which would require the destruction of the database entirely.
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He also emphasized what he described as measurable differences between lawful gun owners and criminals. He told senators that concealed carry permit holders “commit crimes at a lower rate than the police,” while noting that armed citizens stop a significant share of mass shootings in areas where carry is allowed.
At its core, Pratt’s message was straightforward: the Second Amendment, he argued, is under pressure not just from legislation. But from bureaucratic systems that track and regulate lawful ownership. It’s time to shut down the ATF’s de facto gun registry.
“Right now, our rights are under attack by databases, by bureaucrats, and by government attorneys,” he said.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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Instead of shutting down the “registry”, I think it’s time to shut down BATFE!!!
The whole thing is backwards. It should be a list of those who should not own a firearm. When you get a DL or ID, states would automatically do a check with the registry, and if you aren’t on it, put an F for Firearms cleared on your driver’s license or state ID. Then anyone who sees your license only knows you can, not whether you do have any firearms. It should also mean you can open or concealed carry in every state.
Registries are a good argument for ghost guns…
In 1775 they came to take our guns. We shot them. History ALWAYS repeats itself for those who will NOT learn.
This was a waste of time as the Senate doesn’t have the votes to pass a bill, Schumer will see to that, and also because the DHS is struggling with being fully funded at this time. The Senate has much bigger issues on its plate right now other than a registry by an administrative sub-agency. The people to lobby are the current head of the ATF, a Trump appointee, Harmeet Dhillon at the DOJ who heads up the special 2A Task Force, and Trump himself. How about setting up a program to get 2 million gun owners to email the WH on a certain day. That will get their attention.
I’ve said it before, it’s hard to be a dictator when your subjects have guns. All you trumpers couldn’t see that he’s a total POS. You thought, and probably still think, your guns are safe with republicans in control. Noooo, the republican’s in “control” are a bunch of wet noodles that will bend over and do whatever the POS says. It’s the classic, “enemy from within” scenario. Maybe we’ll luck out and Peter Thiel’s boy toy will assume the POTUS. He doesn’t appear to be dictator material but you never know the strange thinking of maga. Somehow thinking or more likely being told, he’s the savior of the USA and making us great, but in reality destroying us from within, just like trump.
wrong site, the anti american site is 3 servers to the left.
We the people need a bill to destroy an illegal federal gun registry?
If the fake POTUS’ (genuine POS) administration can “‘accumulate 54 million gun owner records in a single year’” then why can’t the TRUMP administration destroy 54-million-gun registration gun owner records in a single term?
just guessing here but i suspect there is a line of judges waiting to override trump on this.