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Hearing “Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relationship to the Tiahrt Amendment”
house Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee · May 14, 2026 · Transcript · 89 transcript matches
JACK, BRIAN "I deeply appreciate you convening this hearing. I think it's an important subject and I appreciate your testimony, Director. Just for the record, in 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, ATF, inadvertently sent Gun Owners of America a Freedom of Information Act production containing the unredacted personal information of gun owners, as we know. We've discussed this today. The subject matter of the FOIA requests, scandalous enough, ATF's use of FBI's warrantless and accountable gun purchaser surveillance scheme known as Nick's Monitoring System, but ATF's conduct..."
CRS Report
Statutory Federal Gun Registry Prohibitions and ATF Record Retention Requirements
Resources · Feb 5, 2024
On April 11, 2022, the Attorney General signed a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) final rule, Final Rule 2021R-05F, that includes a provision requiring gun dealers to retain...
CRS Report
The Supreme Court Invalidates the ATF’s Bump-Stock Ban
Posts · Jun 20, 2024
Congressional interest in “bump-stock” devices—accessories that allow semiautomatic rifles effectively to mimic the firing capabilities of a fully automatic weapon—grew after authorities discovered...
CRS Report
Privately Made and Unmarked Firearms: Overview of ATF “Ghost Gun” Rule
Posts · Apr 25, 2022
On April 7, 2021, President Biden announced several executive actions seeking to address gun violence, including instructions for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue a rule addressing so-called...
Hearing “Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relationship to the Tiahrt Amendment”
house Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee · Apr 28, 2026 · Request transcript
Testimony JACK, BRIAN
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"I deeply appreciate you convening this hearing. I think it's an important subject and I appreciate your testimony, Director. Just for the record, in 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, ATF, inadvertently sent Gun Owners of America a Freedom of Information Act production containing the unredacted personal information of gun owners, as we know. We've discussed this today. The subject matter of the FOIA requests, scandalous enough, ATF's use of FBI's warrantless and..."
Hearing Hearings to examine the nomination of Todd Blanche, of Florida, to be Attorney General.
senate Judiciary Committee · Jul 15, 2026 · Transcript · 4 transcript matches
GRASSLEY, CHUCK "fairly, it's a record of success. The United States has the lowest murder rate since 1900. The FBI has captured eight of the top ten most wanted fugitives. Violent crime arrests by the FBI are up 184%. More than 849 individuals have been disrupted from conducting terrorist attacks. The ATF has seized more than 44,000 illegal firearms. That is not a failure. What about the department's record on illegal drugs? Since January of last year, the DEA has made more than 6,300 fentanyl arrests. It has seized more than 5,000 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 55"
Hearing Various Measures
house Foreign Affairs Committee · Jun 9, 2026 · Transcript · 3 transcript matches
CASTRO, JOAQUIN "This amendment is a practical, common-sense step toward doing that. The ATF runs a system called E-Trace, a web-based tool that lets law enforcement trace a recovered firearm back to its source. It's a powerful"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"We have done all of this while cutting e-form processing times from 47 days to 42 days and cutting e-form processing times from 230 days in 2023 to just 12 days today. Although I know this is not an appropriations hearing, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that ATF's budget has suffered tremendously in the recent years. Congressional support for the President's fiscal year 2027 budget is therefore paramount to ensuring that ATF can continue to make gains in all of these areas this..."
Testimony HIGGINS, CLAY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"the understanding of the tear heart policies that have been codified in appropriations riders for many years, but I think we can have more robust congressional action to more clearly lead not only your ATF, sir, but the ATF of generations yet to come. So we're going to talk about this, but with an agreed purpose that we're going to continue to work together to address this tear heart concern and ultimately fix it between Article 1 authorities and Article 2 concurrence. Is that correct? Does..."
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"behalf, but as far as what ATF did after that, we did purchase new software to ensure that we actually don't have any sort of human error in the future. If I may, sir, I think ATF has, I can tell you for certain, during my time and under my watch, ATF completely respects tear heart. We will make sure there were no"
Testimony LEE, SUMMER L.
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"One of the few agencies tasked with helping reduce gun violence is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the ATF. So I want to start with debunking some myths about the basic tools used by ATF, central to all of this, gun tracing. Director Siketa, could you briefly explain in simple terms how gun tracing works? Yes. Thank you so much for"
Testimony LEE, SUMMER L.
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Are you familiar with the concept of industry capture? What would you say to those who look at the announcement and the process for crafting these rules and see that ATF is, or might perceive ATF to be influenced by the very firearm industries it's meant to police? Yes,"
Testimony GOSAR, PAUL A.
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"192,000 concealed carry applicants. And in 2024, the ATF released the firearm records to the USA Today, despite those records being protected under the Tihar Amendment. Later that same year, the ATF also released firearm data to the far-left magazine known as The Trace, in violation of federal law. My bill, the GRIP Act, makes sure that federal tax dollars are never used to support state record-keeping systems that put Americans' privacy at"
Testimony GOSAR, PAUL A.
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Directors of Canada, does the federal government maintain any federal firearm databases? OK, so in 2021, ATF leaked a memo leaked by Gun Owners of America revealed that the ATF does have a federal firearm database containing over 50 million out-of-business records of gun dealers. Is this not a firearm database maintained by the federal"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"So this is not the first attempt that was done in the history that I've been working with ATF. ATF reached that conclusion because we have licenses to become an FFL, you have to go through ATF to get a federal firearms license. We know how many come into business each year and how many go out of business each"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"envision being in place? Yeah, so again, to be clear, we have zero connection to the system that the federal firearms licensees use. It does make it much more efficient for a federal firearms licensee in receiving a phone call from ATF regarding following up on a criminal investigation. Instead of sorting through hundreds or thousands of paper records, they can go through an electronic system, allow them to retrieve what they need, and provide ATF with a specific answer to our indulgence and I..."
Testimony CLYDE, ANDREW S.
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"are a series of appropriation riders, and I am on the Appropriations Committee, to the annual ATF and FBI budgets included in some forms since 2003 that prohibit the ATF from disclosing the contents of the National Trace Center or records collected from Federal"
Testimony CLYDE, ANDREW S.
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"licensees except for legitimate law enforcement purposes. This trace data includes the chain of ownership and the sale from point of manufacture. Public release of such data risks exposing undercover officers or other law enforcement personnel to criminal reprisal. One reason the T-heart amendment has long been supported by the Fraternal Order of Police is that exact reason. Its release can also expose the identities and locations of law-abiding firearms retailers subjecting small businesses to..."
Testimony CLYDE, ANDREW S.
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"making me, my business, its employees, a victim of this illegal activity. So thankfully, under your leadership, Director, the Trump administration has ended its unjust war on lawful gun owners and farms businesses. But now it's a time for accountability, sir. Director Secotta, does ATF believe that the T-heart protects firearm trace information from disclosure under FOIA? I think that's what the intention is. Yes, sir. Okay. Does the unlawful disclosure of sensitive trace data in violation of..."
Testimony JACK, BRIAN
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"I just want to note for the record too, under, to your point, the Biden administration's administration of ATF, the Biden ATF released firearm trace data naming over 1,300 firearm businesses across the country in response to a FOIA request, something that Chairman Higgins' bill, which I'm proud to support, would address as the regulator of the firearm industry. Can you please speak to the impact that publicly releasing firearm trace data has on law abiding members of the firearm and Second..."
CRS Report
Supreme Court Upholds ATF “Ghost Gun” Regulation in Bondi v. VanDerStok
Posts · Jun 18, 2025
On March 26, 2025, the Supreme Court issued an opinion in Bondi v. VanDerStok upholding a 2022 rule promulgated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) that targeted certain...
CRS Report
ATF’s Proposed Rules for Firearms Imports
Legal Sidebar · Aug 4, 2026
On May 8, 2026, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) issued a series of proposed rules that would change how it regulates firearms. Amongst these changes are two clarifying...
Hearing H.R. 9773, Permanent Trump Secure Border Act and Ratification of Subcommittee Assignments
house Judiciary Committee · Jul 21, 2026 · Transcript
KAMLAGER-DOVE, SYDNEY "And you know what? We have agencies for this. We have DEA. We have ATF. We have Homeland Security. And I'm not talking about ICE. And you know"
Hearing Business meeting to consider the nominations of Daniel Desmond Domenico, of Colorado, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit,...
senate Judiciary Committee · Jul 16, 2026 · Transcript
SPEAKER_19 "Medicare fraud, RICO, and violent crime. Today, as Deputy Attorney General and Acting Attorney General, Todd energizes the roughly 115,000 employees from across Maine Justice, the FBI, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, and 93 U.S. Attorney's Offices that span the United States. He's conducted the Department's daily operations at full scale, demonstrating his readiness to manage the office in his own right. Todd therefore brings to the Department of"
Hearing Business meeting to consider the nominations of Daniel Mack Traynor, of North Dakota, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit,...
senate Judiciary Committee · Jun 25, 2026 · Transcript
SPEAKER_19 "Then served as the Co-Chief of the Office's White Plains Division, where he presided over a wide span of work, public corruption, securities, and bank and wire fraud, federal programs, fraud, Medicare fraud, RICO, and violent crime. Today as Deputy Attorney General and Acting Attorney General, Todd energizes the roughly 115,000 employees from across Maine Justice, the FBI, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, and 93 U.S. Attorney's Offices that span the United States. He's conducted the department's daily operations at full scale, demonstrating his readiness to manage the office in his..."
Hearing Hearings to examine the nominations of Bradford Pentony Wilson, of New Jersey, to be Archivist of the United States, Hal Duncan, of Texas, to be...
senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee · Jun 17, 2026 · Transcript
SPEAKER_09 "So it would be things like how are contracts handled by the department. We also go look at how the Bureau of Prisons, okay, is doing its job to ensure that it's doing better, ATF, DEA, FBI. We look at the way the department operates and its"
Testimony HIGGINS, CLAY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Today, the Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement convenes to conduct critical oversight of the agency charged with executing our nation's firearms laws, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF. We're honored to be joined by ATF's newly confirmed director, Robert Cicotta. We're honored to be joined by ATF's newly confirmed director, Robert Cicotta. Director Cicotta has decades of experience and distinguished service within ATF and law enforcement. should give us..."
Testimony HIGGINS, CLAY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"The purpose of this law is clear. Failure to abide by the Tierhart Amendment exposes informants, undercover officers, and lawful federal firearm licensees, or FFLs, whose safety could be endangered by revelations in violation of Tierhart. Despite Tierhart's obvious importance to police and public safety, recent history has shown that ATF has sometimes disregarded the law. Some violations of Tierhart have seemed unintentional, associated with accidental data disclosures while responding to FOIA..."
Testimony HIGGINS, CLAY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"The Biden Administration, in particular, took a variety of troubling actions in this regard. Under President Biden, ATF's quote unquote zero tolerance enforcement policy, which threatened to close firearm businesses over even small non-material paperwork and clerical errors, increased reliance on inspection records and compliance data to revoke firearms licenses. The Biden Administration ATF used bureaucratic complexities to prey upon legally threatened to close firearm businesses over even..."
Testimony HIGGINS, CLAY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Furthermore, Biden-era regulatory changes and enforcement guidance expanded who is considered, quote unquote, engaged in the business of dealing firearms, potentially implicating unsuspecting everyday Americans as federally regulated gun dealers and subjected them to severe penalties for noncompliance, including criminal prosecution. I have faith that the current administration will continue to roll back the Biden ATF's most destructive regulations. A recently announced batch of ATF proposed..."
Testimony HIGGINS, CLAY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"where he served from 1992 to 2000. He joined ATF as a special agent in 2005 in the Baltimore Field Division. His successes in a variety of field assignments led to his promotion to ATF headquarters, His successes in a variety of field assignments led to his promotion to ATF"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Thank you for the invitation to appear before you to discuss privacy protections and the Second Amendment. ATF is the only federal law enforcement agency whose primary mission is combating violent crime. We arrest violent criminals, disrupt firearm-trafficking networks that arm gangs and cartels, investigate bombings and arson, and deliver world-class forensic and intelligence services to state and local partners, all while protecting the Second Amendment and all rights of law-abiding"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"We are a small federal agency with roughly 4,600 employees, but we are mighty and our actions speak for themselves. Since January 20, 2025, ATF has arrested just over 8,700 criminals and seized nearly 44,000 illegal firearms, approximately 5,100 of which were being interdicted with the intention to traffic them to Mexico, just over 2.7 million rounds of ammunition, and more than 28,300 illegal explosives. We've also made historic gains in e-form processing. By the end of May, we will have..."
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"and transparency while recognizing that FFLs are often the first line of defense against gun crime. And I also implemented regulatory reforms last month, where ATF issued 34 notices of final and proposed rulemaking following the comprehensive review that was conducted in compliance with the Executive Order on Protecting the Second Amendment Rights. The aim is simpler – clearer regulations that do not compromise public safety. ATF complies with all laws enacted by"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Under my leadership, that standard is firmly in place. To the extent that Congress wishes to strengthen these or any other privacy protections, ATF and the Department stand ready to work with you. Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you today. ATF is a law enforcement agency in the truest sense. We enforce the law, we follow the law, and we protect the rights the law"
Testimony HIGGINS, CLAY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"I thank the gentleman for his opening statement, and I recognize myself for five minutes for Director Cicotta, we're going to try to drill down in five minutes here regarding the tear heart violations that have been well-documented in modern history, driven for whatever purpose accidentally or purposefully by ATF, and perhaps we can concur, as you and I have discussed and others from your agency have discussed, like the root cause of why this has happened and what Congress can do, driving more..."
Testimony HIGGINS, CLAY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"This sometimes was done seemingly inadvertently and other times it appeared to be intentional. Do you think ATF has strategically utilized Freedom of Information Act requests for your request and disclosure as a means of sidestepping tear heart? So you feel confident that based upon the existing culture of compliance with tear heart and the examples that under your leadership, ATF accepts responsibility for and intends to learn from moving"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"The second release involving that same response did involve the DOJ and I won't speak on their behalf, but as far as what ATF did after that, we did purchase new software to ensure that we actually don't have any sort of human error in the future. If I may, sir, I think ATF has, I can tell you for certain, during my time and under my watch, ATF completely respects tear"
Testimony HIGGINS, CLAY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Do you think ATF has strategically utilized Freedom of Information Act requests for your request and disclosure as a means of sidestepping tear heart? So you feel confident that based upon the existing culture of compliance with tear heart and the examples that under your leadership, ATF accepts responsibility for and intends to learn from moving forward. You've been dealing with tear heart as a appropriations rider, unknown if it would be renewed year by"
Testimony HIGGINS, CLAY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"And we intend to pass permanent tear heart legislation, standard loan legislation. Would that help within the procedures and policies and cultures of the ATF to be more solid in compliance with tear heart? We want to work with you to stabilize that process and ATF"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"That data is misused at times through different leadership in the local communities who compel our state and local partners to turn over that data. The only mechanism ATF has to hold them accountable is to cut a particular law enforcement off of e-trace. That is not a good solution for"
Testimony HIGGINS, CLAY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Would that help within the procedures and policies and cultures of the ATF to be more solid in compliance with tear heart? We want to work with you to stabilize that process and ATF policies. We're going to deliver you a more permanent fix there, sir. Without objection, I'd like unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from my office to the ATF dated January 28th of this year in reference to this topic, another letter from my office to Director Secotta, deputy director at the time..."
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"And in most cases, a firearm goes from the manufacturer to a distributor and from a distributor to a wholesaler or a retailer. ATF uses that trace data to identify who the first purchaser was. In some cases, the first purchaser could have been just a few days"
Testimony LEE, SUMMER L.
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"It helps to determine how a gun got to the crime scene, and it gives us viable information to stop the spread of illicit firearms. Director Cicada, ATF's gun tracing database is not the same as a searchable national registry of law-abiding gun owners, correct? So because federal law already prohibits a national gun registry, these rules aren't in place to villainize gun owners. I emphasize this because Republicans have convened this hearing today around the T. Hart amendments, which are a..."
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Well, the first time I heard that was reading a news article, I believe it was today, this morning. And so I can tell you ATF isn't captured by anyone. We are focused on doing our job and following the"
Testimony GOSAR, PAUL A.
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Thank you, Chairman Higgins. The Firearm Owners Protection Act bans the federal government from creating a national gun owner database and the Tihar Amendment prevents the ATF from sharing firearm records of law-abiding Americans. My bill, H.R. 7678, the GRIP Act, goes further by blocking federal funds from helping states or local governments create similar"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"It's, again, sir, I'm sorry, I'll explain what the out-of-business records are. And the out-of-business records are, there's under law as well, once a federal firearms licensee goes out of business, they're required to turn over their records to ATF within 30 days. ATF's National Tracing Center ends up processing these records that come in all shapes and forms, ripped, torn, old, moldy, et cetera. And they scan these forms into our system there. ATF's National Tracing Center ends up processing..."
Testimony GOSAR, PAUL A.
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Is this not a firearm database maintained by the federal government? So has the ATF ever violated the T. Hart Amendment? So you said, so you said that it has been violated,"
Testimony BELL, WESLEY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act addressed the loophole law enforcement had raised concerns about for years. The quote unquote engaged in the business rule created clear standards for when repeated gun sales crossed the line into a legal unlicensed dealing. But on May 6, 2026, this year, obviously ATF published proposed changes that would weaken that rule. Weakening these standards makes it harder to ensure repeat for profit gun sellers get a federal license, keep records and run background..."
Testimony BELL, WESLEY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"We're doing so while this Congress is further threatening our ability to track the impact of these decisions through limits on gun trace data and research. Director Sakata, I have several questions about how the ATF plans to explain that to the American people. So how does weakening the engaged in the business rule improve public"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"The engage in the business rule did not help public safety at all, to be very frank. So this is not the first attempt that was done in the history that I've been working with ATF. ATF reached that conclusion because we have licenses to become an FFL, you have to go through ATF to get a federal firearms"
Testimony BELL, WESLEY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"I'm going to reclaim my time just because I'm short on time and I want to get as many questions as I can. In this proposal, ATF concedes that weakening this rule may cause some previously deterred sellers to go back to operating without a license. The resulting risk to public safety is described as de"
Testimony BELL, WESLEY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Please explain that characterization to this committee because families impacted by gun violence in my district and across the country might describe those consequences very differently. How did ATF reach that conclusion? Briefly, because I want to be respectful to the time. The problem is, is that what we're seeing is the gun violence"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"And for us, that showed us nothing. It showed us zero impact in helping public safety, but the negative result on ATF when you compile some of the other things that were put on the agency, frankly, some of the release of other information, some of the efforts as it was on stabilizing brace and other things, all caused the agency to receive a negative result on our budget, which I can tell you had a negative impact on public safety. The engaged in the business rule, I can give you an example...."
Testimony PERRY, SCOTT
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"I'm just curious generally about your professional and your position relationship with the Department of Justice and the Attorney General. All right. So when the ... I've got a lot of questions about the DOJ, and I'm trying to see how they might pertain to you. So when the DOJ does things that seem to be in your lane, as the director of the ATF, do you weigh in, do you have regular meetings, does your staff question, how does all that go? Or is there no conversation"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"But there's things, for example, that matters that were in the courts in a legislative area that DOJ was handling, I don't work with them on a daily matter at all. That's something in a civil litigation that's being represented by DOJ, they'll handle it. They may consult with our chief counsel at ATF to ensure that we're in the right lane, but for the most part, they will deal with ATF when it involves, for example, the regulatory package that just went out, any criminal enforcement operations..."
Testimony PERRY, SCOTT
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Okay. Thank you. And I'm wondering particularly about actions the DOJ has taken, and I know that you may not have been here as long as some of these things, but the previous administration accidentally sent GOA unredacted information in a FOIA production, the ATF secured a gag order against the GOA. And I'm just wondering, now that was the ATF secured the gag order against the GOA, which generally gag orders are meant to protect those that the government is prevailing upon, not silence them...."
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"I am. And that's the same case that we were talking about earlier, sir. The case that GOA was involved in, and that did occur in the previous administration. So I wasn't personally involved in that, but I'm familiar with it. And as I stated, that particular case was a inadvertent release by our employees in FOIA section. So as far as ATF's discussion at the time and DOJ's input, I wasn't involved. I'm not aware what the conversations were about that"
Testimony PERRY, SCOTT
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"And allegedly the same program was used to spy on January, so-called January 6th defendants and to enforce state assault weapons, so-called assault weapons bans. Are you familiar with that? Do you know if anybody's been held accountable at ATF for those actions? The ones that were used to enforce state assault weapons"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"I'm not familiar with the specific verbiage. I understand that our responsibilities that came along with it, effective January 1 and ATF has done everything we could do to the best of our abilities to ensure we're in compliance with that. I'm sorry. I apologize. I'm not familiar with the difference of"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"I'm sorry. I apologize. I'm not familiar with the difference of opinion. I believe that ATF and DOJ are in line with ensuring we're in compliance with zero tax"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"mainly in rifles and belt-fed firearms that were being sourced on behalf of the cartels through store purchasers and traffickers that were actually cartel members. Sadly, the U.S. attorney at the time refused to take those charges forward. So I sat there gaining great concern not only for the U.S., but also for Mexico, and living in the past of our fears, I saw Operation Fast and Furious developing again, where ATF was tracking firearms that were already sold, and no one was doing were already..."
Testimony BIGGS, ANDY
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Yes, if you don't mind. RPG launcher tube rifles hidden in Lexus headed to Mexico, Arizona gun dealer facing terrorism charges for alleged sales to cartel, Mexican national sentenced in major Mideast Mexico-Arizona smuggling scheme, Arizona guns are fueling a drug cartel war in Mexico, Arizona's sheltering in place after cartel violence, and gun owners of American Battles ATF gag order over secret surveillance of legal gun"
Testimony FROST, MAXWELL
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Director Cicada, you were sworn in as director of ATF on April 29th. On the same day that you were sworn in, you announced over 30 changes to federal firearm regulations with representatives of the gun industry standing behind you, corporate interest, and then published just a few days later on May"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"a significant sentence that serves as a deterrence, and that's what I've seen as the best measure of defense to the public. Well, good morning, sir. Thank you for your question. To be clear, when the Biden administration exited, I was the executive assistant director for operations at ATF, and I was shortly thereafter promoted to the deputy director, where I had complete oversight of our agency's operations since April of 2025. So the work did not start on May 8th or May 1st. We've been working..."
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"and other items that may have ... Yes, sir. No, that's not true. They were going to go forward regardless, because ATF was still tasked by the president to proceed with this review, and we were going to push them forward, frankly, whether I got confirmed or not. Yes, sir. Thank"
Testimony ROBERT CEKADA
“Privacy Protections & the Second Amendment: Examining ATF’s Relations...
house Oversight and Government Reform Committee · May 14, 2026
"No. ATF worked on these, and we developed the initial drafts, and then there's a review process that involves— Yes, sir. Say that"
Testimony KAMLAGER-DOVE, SYDNEY
H.R. 9773, Permanent Trump Secure Border Act and Ratification of Subco...
house Judiciary Committee · Jul 21, 2026
"And you know what? We have agencies for this. We have DEA. We have ATF. We have Homeland Security. And I'm not talking about ICE. And you know"
Testimony SPEAKER_19
Business meeting to consider the nominations of Daniel Desmond Domenic...
senate Judiciary Committee · Jul 16, 2026
"Medicare fraud, RICO, and violent crime. Today, as Deputy Attorney General and Acting Attorney General, Todd energizes the roughly 115,000 employees from across Maine Justice, the FBI, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, and 93 U.S. Attorney's Offices that span the United States. He's conducted the Department's daily operations at full scale, demonstrating his readiness to manage the office in his own right. Todd therefore brings to the Department of"
Testimony GRASSLEY, CHUCK
Hearings to examine the nomination of Todd Blanche, of Florida, to be ...
senate Judiciary Committee · Jul 15, 2026
"fairly, it's a record of success. The United States has the lowest murder rate since 1900. The FBI has captured eight of the top ten most wanted fugitives. Violent crime arrests by the FBI are up 184%. More than 849 individuals have been disrupted from conducting terrorist attacks. The ATF has seized more than 44,000 illegal firearms. That is not a failure. What about the department's record on illegal drugs? Since January of last year, the DEA has made more than 6,300 fentanyl arrests. It has..."
Testimony MOODY, ASHLEY
Hearings to examine the nomination of Todd Blanche, of Florida, to be ...
senate Judiciary Committee · Jul 15, 2026
"He received the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration commendation two different years and a commendation from the FBI two separate years. And to round out this collection, he received recognition from the ATF in three years. I think this is emblematic of a career that was really spent doing the work of the people and trying to do it well, keeping his head down, without seeking recognition, but he couldn't help but get it because of the work and the superior performance that he was doing. And I..."
Testimony THE HONORABLE TODD BLANCHE
Hearings to examine the nomination of Todd Blanche, of Florida, to be ...
senate Judiciary Committee · Jul 15, 2026
"But also anybody that knew him, anybody that worked with him. His gardener at Mar-a-Lago was targeted. We should not be doing that. We should be arresting bad guys. We should be... And that's what we're doing. So we're empowering assistant U.S. attorneys around the country, FBI, ATF, Marshals, DEA, HSI agents, to go out and make communities safe. And in my mind, when it comes to the federal government, that's combating drug"
Testimony GRASSLEY, CHUCK
Hearings to examine the nomination of Todd Blanche, of Florida, to be ...
senate Judiciary Committee · Jul 15, 2026
"Before I call on the last senator to ask questions, I would like to enter into record a letter supporting the nominee from Peter Forcelli, retired law enforcement officer. As the NYPD homicide detective and ATF special agent, Mr. Forcelli worked alongside Mr. Blanche when he was a prosecutor in the Southern District of New York. The letter states, quote, I know Todd Blanche to be a quiet, thoughtful, soft-spoken"
Testimony SPEAKER_19
Business meeting to consider the nominations of Daniel Mack Traynor, o...
senate Judiciary Committee · Jun 25, 2026
"Then served as the Co-Chief of the Office's White Plains Division, where he presided over a wide span of work, public corruption, securities, and bank and wire fraud, federal programs, fraud, Medicare fraud, RICO, and violent crime. Today as Deputy Attorney General and Acting Attorney General, Todd energizes the roughly 115,000 employees from across Maine Justice, the FBI, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, and 93 U.S. Attorney's Offices that span the United States. He's conducted the..."
Testimony SPEAKER_09
Hearings to examine the nominations of Bradford Pentony Wilson, of New...
senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee · Jun 17, 2026
"So it would be things like how are contracts handled by the department. We also go look at how the Bureau of Prisons, okay, is doing its job to ensure that it's doing better, ATF, DEA, FBI. We look at the way the department operates and its"
Testimony CASTRO, JOAQUIN
Various Measures
house Foreign Affairs Committee · Jun 9, 2026
"This amendment is a practical, common-sense step toward doing that. The ATF runs a system called E-Trace, a web-based tool that lets law enforcement trace a recovered firearm back to its source. It's a powerful"
Testimony CASTRO, JOAQUIN
Various Measures
house Foreign Affairs Committee · Jun 9, 2026
"But the system only works if our partners in the region are actually using it. And right now, there are real gaps in participation across the hemisphere. My amendment directs the State Department through the INL Bureau, working with our Western Hemisphere experts and in coordination with the ATF, to help close those gaps. To work with law enforcement agencies across the region to increase their participation in"
Testimony MAST, BRIAN J.
Various Measures
house Foreign Affairs Committee · Jun 9, 2026
"It's a good common sense law enforcement cooperation amendment for the United States ATF working with Mexican law enforcement as an example. So it promotes good work across multinational law enforcement"
CRS Report
The Biden Administration’s New Restrictions on Firearms Sales
Resources · May 29, 2024
Federal firearms policies and changes to firearms regulations are subjects of ongoing congressional interest. The Biden Administration made several recent changes to firearms regulations, including...
CRS Report
Gun Control: Straw Purchase and Gun Trafficking Provisions in P.L. 117-159
Resources · Feb 9, 2024
On June 25, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA; S. 2938; P.L. 117-159). This law includes the Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act, provisions of...
CRS Report
Firearms Dealers “Engaged in the Business”
InFocus · Aug 3, 2026
On June 25, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA; P.L. 117-159). Section 12002 of P.L. 117-159 amended definitions related to firearms dealer licensure...
CRS Report
Firearms-Related Appropriations Riders
Resources · Nov 22, 2019
Congress’s spending power gives it substantial control over the activities of executive branch agencies. For instance, through appropriations riders, Congress can direct agencies to engage, or to...
CRS Report
The Supreme Court’s Narrow Construction of Federal Criminal Laws: 2023 Term
Posts · Jul 29, 2024
Criminal law marks a boundary between conduct that society deems permissible and behavior that it deems worthy of punishment. Courts have expressed that those who cross the line may be subject to...
CRS Report
Gun Control: Juvenile Record Checks for 18- to 21-Year-Olds
Resources · Feb 5, 2024
On June 25, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA; P.L. 117-159), which includes several firearms-related sections. Section 12001 addresses juvenile access...
CRS Report
Defense Primer: Agile Combat Employment (ACE) Concept
Resources · Jun 24, 2024
To inform and shape its planning, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) has developed an operational concept known as Agile Combat Employment (ACE). According to the Air Force, ACE is a “proactive and reactive...
CRS Report
Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (October 16, 2023–October 22, 2023)
Posts · Oct 23, 2023
The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in cases involving diverse legal disputes. This Sidebar series selects decisions from the past week that may be of particular interest to...
CRS Report
Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (August 7, 2023–August 11, 2023)
Posts · Aug 14, 2023
The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in cases involving diverse legal disputes. This Sidebar series selects decisions from the past week that may be of particular interest to...
CRS Report
Congressional Court Watcher: Recent Appellate Decisions of Interest to Lawmakers (Apr. 24–Apr. 30, 2023)
Posts · May 1, 2023
The federal courts issue hundreds of decisions every week in cases involving diverse legal disputes. This Sidebar series selects decisions from the past week that may be of particular interest to...