Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) introduced the Protecting Gun Owners’ Privacy Act. The Protecting Gun Owners’ Privacy Act would remove personal information from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms’ (ATF) Form 4473 and require federal agencies to go through the ATF when requesting access to a Federal Firearms Licensee’s Form 4473.

In June 2023, 20-armed Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and ATF agents raided Highwood Creek Outfitters in Great Falls, confiscating the store’s 4473 forms. Rep. Rosendale’s bill would help prevent raids like this by requiring federal agencies to go through the ATF to request the forms and prohibit the seizure and mass storage of lawful gun owners’ personal information.

“For far too long Biden’s, alphabet agencies have been weaponized against the American people,” said Rep. Rosendale.

“Just a few months ago, armed IRS and ATF agents raided a small business in Great Falls and confiscated the store’s 4473 forms, granting the IRS access to personal, sensitive information about every customer who has ever purchased a firearm from the store.

“I will not stand by and allow hardworking Americans’ dollars to be leveraged against them. That’s why I introduced the Protecting Gun Owners’ Privacy Act so we can stop Biden’s alphabet agencies from creating a database on hardworking Americans and put an end to these intimidation tactics.”

“Congressman Rosendale’s bill will ensure that the personal information of gun buyers does not end up in a government database, which would be ripe for abuse in the future,” said Tim Macy, Chairman of Gun Owners of America.

This bill is cosponsored by Ken Buck (CO-04), Josh Brecheen (OK-02), Mike Collins (GA-10), Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Paul Gosar (AZ-09), Barry Moore (AL-02), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), Randy Weber (TX-14)

Read Rep. Rosendale’s bill here.