U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) recently joined Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) to introduce the No Retaining Every Gun In a System that Restricts Your (REGISTRY) Rights Act (S.119), legislation that would prohibit the federal government from creating a national firearms registry.

“The creation of a federal gun registry would set a dangerous precedent that could severely compromise the rights of law-abiding Mississippians and Americans. The Second Amendment protects our right to keep and bear arms, and this legislation is a key step in defending this fundamental freedom from federal overreach and intrusive regulations,” said the Brookhaven senator.

“The ATF’s excessive overreach has gone unchecked for too long. Idaho’s law-abiding gun owners should not be subject to an already illegal federal firearms registry,” said Risch. “The Second Amendment is not conditional to a list of guns in circulation and their owners. All law-abiding Americans have the undeniable right to keep and bear arms. My No REGISTRY Rights Act will safeguard this essential liberty for generations to come.”

While the Gun Control Act of 1968 requires Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) to keep records of firearm sales, the Firearm Owners’ Protection Act of 1986 prohibits a federal registry. S.119 would block the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) from establishing a registry in contrast to recent actions by the Biden administration to indefinitely retain firearm transaction records. The bill would also require the ATF to delete existing records and allow FFLs to destroy records when closing their businesses.

Key provisions of the No REGISTRY Rights Act include:

• Requiring the ATF to delete all existing firearm transaction records;
• Allowing FFLs to destroy transaction records when they go out of business; and,
• Prohibiting the ATF from creating or maintaining a firearms registry in the future.

Hyde-Smith and Risch were joined by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and 47 members of the House of Representatives in introducing the No REGISTRY Rights Act.

Hyde-Smith also joined U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) in introducing the Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination (FIND) Act (S.137), which would block the federal government from contracting with entities that discriminate against firearm-related businesses. Hyde-Smith was also an original cosponsor of this legislation in the 117th and 118th Congresses.

“Our Constitution forbids the federal government from discriminating against firearm ownership, but anti-gun rhetoric has led to increased bias against firearm-related businesses and associations. This bill aims to protect our enshrined constitutional rights and hold those who discriminate accountable by barring them from securing federal contracts.” Hyde-Smith said.

The FIND Act would ensure corporations cannot benefit from taxpayer-funded contracts and subcontracts while discriminating against firearm trade associations or businesses that deal in firearms, ammunition, or related products.