Pro-gun rights

Here’s What YOUR Gun Lobby Did For The Second Amendment This Week!
At GOA, we’ve been hard at work fighting for your Second Amendment rights, here’s what we did…

We at Gun Owners of America have been hard at work fighting for your rights this week.

Between filing a lawsuit in Virginia against the just-signed ban on commonly owned firearms, questioning the ATF Director on the Bureau’s past abuses, and passing the NICS Reporting Act— we’ve been busy.

You deserve an update.

Recently:

GOA filed suit in Virginia against Gov. Abigail Spanberger, for signing into law a sweeping ban on commonly owned semi-automatic firearms and magazines.

GOA lobbied for Congress to question the recently sworn in ATF Director, Robert Cekada on ATF’s past abuses— including Tiahrt violations of gun owners’ records and their Illegal Registry.

And last, but certainly not least— GOA backed legislation, the NICS Reporting Act, passed the House!

GOA filed a lawsuit against the State of Virginia for banning commonly owned semi-automatic firearms, magazines and the carry of those arms in public spaces.

Our lawsuit works to fight some of the worst excesses of Virginia’s tyrannical attempt to restrict law-abiding citizens from exercising their Second Amendment rights.

We filed in state court, and expect the lawsuit to move quickly. We’ll update you as the situation develops.

Thanks to the support of members like you, we can file lawsuits against tyrants like Gov. Spanberger and her administration.

Your grassroots support helps us to fight for your Second Amendment rights all across the nation!

Next up, GOA lobbied Congress to question recently sworn-in ATF Director, Rob Cekada, on the Bureau’s abuses of the Tiahrt Amendment.

Nearly every pro-gun Congressman mentioned Gun Owners of America, and their frustration with ATF for abuses of the Tiahrt Amendment, an Amendment meant to protect law-abiding gun owners.

There was also questioning about ATF’s Illegal Registry, and how under the Biden Administration, ATF agents were showing up at gun owners’ doors, listing off what firearms they had inside.

And thanks to Rep. Michael Cloud’s questioning, we now know that ATF has purchased software that allows them to track gun owners’ phones.

While Director Cekada claims ATF is yet to use the new technology, we at GOA oppose any mass surveillance of gun owners.

GOA & GOF opposed geofence warrants in Chatrie v. United States, and we’ll be watching ATF to ensure they don’t deploy mass surveillance tools against gun owners.

Finally, last but not least, The GOA-backed NICS Reporting Act passed the House!

Thanks to the hard work of Rep. Thomas Massie, the NICS Reporting Act is one step closer to becoming law.

This legislation requires the Attorney General to provide data on those who were denied their Second Amendment right to purchase a firearm.

There are strong indications already, because of data provided by the Crime Prevention Research Center, that a very high percentage of denials under the NICS system are illegitimate (that is, are false positives)

The NICS background check system is broken, and NICS should be abolished. This legislation puts GOA and our allies one step closer to that goal.

It has been a busy week in the fight for the Second Amendment. We’re here in Washington DC, and across the United States holding the line against tyranny.

Keep an eye out for more updates from GOA in your inbox, coming soon.

If you aren’t already, please consider becoming a GOA member, so that we can fight on your behalf!

GOA and GOF File Lawsuit in Direct Response to Virginia Ban On “Assault Weapons” and Public Carry

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 15, 2026

Springfield, VA ­­— Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF), alongside Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) and 2A journalist John Crump, have filed a lawsuit today in direct response to Virginia’s enactment of SB749 and SB727, the “assault weapons” ban and public carry ban. These two bills represent the most immediate threat to the rights of every law-abiding gun owner in Virginia.

By criminalizing the purchase and transfer of the most popular firearms in America and effectively banning self-defense in public spaces, these laws are a direct assault on the Second Amendment and stand in open defiance of Virginia’s own constitution and necessitate an immediate strike in court.

Article I, Section 13 of the Virginia Constitution guarantees that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Therefore, our lawsuit demands a declaratory judgment and an injunction to prevent these unconstitutional laws from taking effect on July 1st.

Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of Gun Owners of America, issued the following statement:

“Governor Spanberger has declared war on the rights of all Virginians. By banning the most commonly-owned firearms and standard-capacity magazines in America, the state is disarming law-abiding citizens, while doing absolutely nothing to stop violent crime.”

Chris Stone, Director of State Affairs for Gun Owners of America, added:

“Governor Spanberger and the anti-gun Democrats in the General Assembly are proud to openly violate the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Virginians, and their glee is an affront to the motto and ethos of this commonwealth. Gun Owners of America and our friends at Virginia Citizens Defense League look forward to challenging them in court.”

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.

-GOA-

What: Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) filed a new federal lawsuit, McDonald v. Katz, after Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed legislation to ban so-called “assault firearms” and “large capacity” magazines. FPC is seeking a permanent injunction against the enforcement of the Virginia bans as well as other relief.

CHICAGO (May 12, 2026) — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced that it, FPC Action Foundation (FPCAF), and the National Rifle Association filed an amicus brief with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Atkinson v. Blanche, which challenges the federal felon gun ban as-applied to the plaintiff, who was convicted of mail fraud in 1998 and served no time in prison. The brief was filed with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

As part of ATF’s recent package of 34 new rules, they’ve proposed a change to their “out-of-business” records retention.

This record retention amounts to an unconstitutional, illegal registry of guns and gun owners.

The registry, compiled by ATF using Form 4473; the dealer sales form completed by gun owners during firearms transactions, must be destroyed.

Now, thanks to a proposed rule change, gun owners have the ability to make their voices heard.

GOA is providing a model comment, follow along to fight back against ATF.

COPY PRE-WRITTEN COMMENT

PASTE & SUBMIT COMMENT

Preview comment

I join Gun Owners of America in strongly opposing ATF’s proposed rule, Firearm Records Retention Periods (RIN 1140–AA95), to the extent that it would continue requiring decades-long retention of firearm transaction records, and allow ATF to maintain out-of-business (“OOB”) dealer records for additional decades. While the proposal appears intended to partially roll back the Biden Administration’s “forever retention” policy adopted in 2022, merely returning to a 20- or 30-year standard is insufficient to protect gun owners’ privacy and constitutional rights.

The Firearms Owners’ Protection Act of 1986 (“FOPA”) prohibits post-1986 regulations that expand the transfer to or maintenance of firearm transaction records in government-controlled facilities. Any retention period exceeding the framework of 20 years that pre-existed FOPA would violate both the text and spirit of 18 U.S.C. § 926(a). Moreover, the Second Amendment does not tolerate the creation or preservation of a de facto federal registry of law-abiding gun owners much less one that exists for decades on end.

ATF’s own historical findings demonstrate that the law-enforcement utility of decades-old records is minimal. In its 1985 rulemaking, ATF acknowledged that trace usefulness sharply declines over time, especially after 10–15 years. Yet under the current framework, records may effectively be retained for generations—first by dealers, and then by ATF after a dealer goes out of business. Such a system transforms temporary business records into functionally permanent federal surveillance files of Americans’ firearm ownership.

ATF’s “new era of reform” should not merely be about returning to the pre-Biden status quo. Indeed, if ATF were to select 30 years as the retention, then this rulemaking would not even accomplish that. This would represent an utter failure in the eyes of gun owners by this Administration. ATF needs to make affirmative progress in the right direction—protecting gun owners by reducing record retention periods as much as possible.

Accordingly, I agree with GOA that ATF should adopt the shortest possible retention period permitted by law, ideally zero years. At a minimum, any retention period imposed on FFLs must also apply to ATF’s OOB records, with mandatory destruction upon expiration of that same period. ATF should use this rulemaking to dismantle—not preserve—the infrastructure of a national gun owner registry.

 

ATF’S NEW RULE: WORSE THAN OBAMA-ERA RETENTION

ATF’s new proposed rule change, “Firearms Records Retention Periods” continues to require decades-long retention of firearm transaction records.

Worse still, it also allows ATF to maintain their “out-of-business” dealer records for additional decades.

While the rule is a step in the right direction, (Biden required FFLs to keep records forever) it reverts to an Obama-era status-quo, that records should be kept 20 to 30 years after the firearms transaction.

ATF should adopt the shortest possible retention period permitted by law. Ideally, ZERO years.

That’s why we need GOA members to submit their comments to the federal register ASAP.

Our vocal grassroots members can hold ATF accountable.

GOA members have been crucial to change and have worked to stop bad policy in the past.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Copy our model comment, which is provided here.

COPY PRE-WRITTEN COMMENT

Step 2: Then, with our model comment copied, paste it into the federal register’s comment section at the link below and submit your comment to the ATF.

Let them know that gun owners want real change, not a return to the status-quo.

PASTE & SUBMIT COMMENT

ATF CANNOT RETURN TO THE STATUS-QUO. REAL CHANGE IS NEEDED.

ATF’s own historical findings demonstrate that the law-enforcement utility of decades-old records is minimal.

In its 1985 rulemaking, ATF acknowledged that trace usefulness sharply declines over time, especially after 10–15 years.

Yet under the current framework, records may effectively be retained for generations—first by dealers, and then by ATF after a dealer goes out of business.

A return to the status-quo is not good enough for gun owners.

ATF should use this rulemaking to dismantle—not preserve—the infrastructure of a national gun owner registry.

What: Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and FPC Action Foundation (FPCAF) filed comments with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) on the proposed “Revised Mailing Standards for Firearms” rule, which would change existing USPS policy to allow “lawful handguns to be mailed under the same terms and conditions as lawful rifles and shotguns.” The proposed rule is in response to the January OLC opinion determining that USPS’s current prohibition violates the Second Amendment.

On Saturday, May 16, 2026, from 1pm – 5pm,  Chief Counsel Joshua Prince and Attorney Dillon Harris of Firearms Industry Consulting Group® (FICG®), a division of Civil Rights Defense Firm, P.C., in conjunction with Lodestone Training and Consulting, will offer a four (4) hour seminar on state and federal firearms law at their store located … Continue reading Firearms Law Seminar – May 16, 2026 with Lodestone Training! →