Sen. Rob Portman co-sponsors bill to prohibit Obama's ATF from tracking and cataloguing guns

According to a letter from Ohio's U.S. Senator Rob Portman, is co-sponsoring S.570, which would deny the ATF the funding it needs to enforce a new gun control policy.

Thank you for taking the time to contact my office regarding gun tracking and cataloguing of guns by the Obama Administration. It is good to hear from you.

As you know, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has enacted a regulation which requires 8,500 firearm dealers in California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas to file reports with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) on all sales of two or more semi-automatic rifles that are purchased within five consecutive business days by a single individual if the rifles are larger than .22 caliber and use detachable magazines. This regulation would include the most popular rifles, owned by millions of Americans for self-defense and hunting.

I believe this new regulation involving rifle and shotgun sales along the Southwest Border limits Second Amendment rights and is yet another example of the Obama Administration's regulatory overreach. S.570, of which I am a cosponsor, would prohibit the government from using federal funds to enforce this regulation. In addition, this legislation would prohibit any tracking or cataloguing system by the DOJ.

As you may know, I am a gun owner who believes in the right to bear arms in defense of self, family and property. During my 12 years serving in Congress, I received an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association for defending our Constitutional Rights. I opposed the so-called “assault weapons ban” and opposed the Brady Bill. I supported repealing both the Federal Assault Weapons Ban and the Washington, D.C. gun ban. I voted to protect the private information of gun owners; to protect state gun laws; and to protect firearm and ammunition manufacturers, dealers or importers from lawsuits and damages related to criminal misuse by a third party.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me. For more information, I encourage you to visit my website at www.portman.senate.gov. Please keep in touch.