The Department of Justice (DOJ) published a new federal regulation Wednesday that will expand the regime of federal firearms background checks to cover guns purchased online, at gun shows and in informal markets.
In August of 2023, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced a new rulemaking proposal to redefine when someone is “engaged in business” as a gun dealer subject to background check regulations, using new authorities granted by a bipartisan gun control law passed by Congress following a deadly school shooting at Uvalde, Texas in 2022. The measure is the latest action by the Biden administration to advance gun control measures, which have included rules to crack down on the sales of unserialized firearms, known commonly as “ghost guns.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Nearly 75 House Republicans Demand Mike Johnson Oppose Reauthorization Of Gun Control Law)
“Under this regulation, it will not matter if guns are sold on the internet, at a gun show, or at a brick-and-mortar store: if you sell guns predominantly to earn a profit, you must be licensed, and you must conduct background checks,” Attorney General Merrick Garland announced. “This regulation is a historic step in the Justice Department’s fight against gun violence. It will save lives.”
.@TheJusticeDept submitted a new rule to the Federal Register to update the definition of what it means to be “Engaged in the Business” as a firearms dealer. The rule seeks to provide clarity on who must obtain an FFL. More at https://t.co/xDkBwvclkl. #StopGunTrafficking pic.twitter.com/OxBp1NdFAz
— ATF HQ (@ATFHQ) April 11, 2024
“There is a large and growing black market of guns that are being sold by people who are in the business of dealing and are doing it without a license; and therefore, they are not running background checks the way the law requires. And it is fueling violence,” wrote ATF Director Steven Dettelbach in the press release.
The rule has been strongly opposed by congressional Republicans, who told the Daily Caller News Foundation they will seek to repeal it.
“The vast majority of the ATF rule announced today is not based on the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and any claim otherwise from the administration is an outright lie,” Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina told the DCNF. “This rule has long been on Democrats’ wish list, and for the Biden administration to say it’s a result of our school safety and mental health law is a shameless attempt to hide their real goal: to take away the firearms of every law-abiding American. We will fight this unconstitutional rule tooth and nail, and look forward to overturning it in the Senate as soon as possible.”
A spokesperson for Cornyn told the DCNF that he and Tillis will introduce legislation under the Congressional Review Act to expeditiously repeal the rule, claiming to have the support of other Senate and House Republicans, with Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia introducing a companion bill in the House of Representatives.
Gun rights groups have slammed the rule, as well, arguing that it will curb the rights of law-abiding gun owners. (RELATED: Whistleblowers Allege ATF Is Drafting Rule That Could Effectively Ban Private Firearm Sales)
“The ‘engaged in the business’ rule is designed to circumvent the U.S. Congress to criminalize or give the appearance of criminalizing, the private transfer of firearms,” wrote the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) in a statement in September of 2023, after the public comment period for the rule was opened. “A cynic could be forgiven for thinking the entire exercise was designed to terrorize law-abiding gun owners.”
“[T]he Proposed Rule unlawfully mandates different interpretations in civil and criminal case[s], foolishly imposes restrictions on personal arms possessed at an FFL’s location, fails to consider important sources, unconstitutionally prohibits anonymous comments, and fails to include a federalism summary impact statement,” wrote the Firearms Policy Coalition in a statement.
Many organizations that support gun control had lobbied in favor of the rule.
“Brady, the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention group, applauds this major progress in expanding our namesake Brady Background Check system, a legacy that continues to save lives every day since its enactment 30 years ago,” wrote Brady: United Against Gun Violence, an organization that backs greater gun control measures, in a statement following the rule’s passage.
Having been signed by Garland and would come into force within 30 days of publication in the Federal Register.
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