President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice announced on Saturday the launch of the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center — to the surprise of some congressional Republicans.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a Saturday press release that the new national resource center “will provide our partners across the country with valuable resources to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others.” Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), commonly referred to as “red flag” laws, allow authorities to confiscate firearms from a person whom a court deems to be a risk to himself or others. ERPOs also prevent a person from buying or possessing a gun for the duration of the order.

“The establishment of the Center is the latest example of the Justice Department’s work to use every tool provided by the landmark Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to protect communities from gun violence,” Garland said.

Justice Department Launches the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center

🔗: https://t.co/xH1deJu4SB pic.twitter.com/zUj0woxwrf

— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) March 23, 2024

The resource center, which was launched with a new website, is described as “a resource for implementers” that will “provide training and technical assistance to law enforcement officials, prosecutors, attorneys, judges, clinicians, victim service and social service providers, community organizations, and behavioral health professionals responsible for implementing laws designed to keep guns out of the hands of people who pose a threat to themselves or others.”

The National ERPO Resource Center website also provides a state-by-state guide for red flag laws across the country, along with specific information on each state’s ERPO law. Currently, 21 states and the District of Columbia have red flag laws on the books.

Republicans in the House and Senate were surprised to learn of the DOJ’s new gun-control resource center. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) reposted the DOJ’s announcement on X and asked, “What the hell is this evil?”

“A Federal Red Flag center; We did not authorize this. Announced, of course, just hours after the omnibus passes,” Massie added.

“Oh, really?” Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) said in response to the DOJ announcing the resource center.

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Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) simply commented on the DOJ’s post, “Nope.”

Dana Loesch, a Second Amendment advocate and critic of red flag laws, said the DOJ’s National ERPO Resource Center “is an attack on due process.”

“This won’t apply to Hunter Biden, illegal aliens, or cartel members that Dems fight to arm. This is an attack on due process and ignores existing law that provides a way to adjudicate someone ineligible,” Loesch wrote. “All previous tragedies were preventable without removal of due process.”

President Biden has fought to implement more gun control on a national level, issuing an executive order last year expanding background checks for firearm purchases. Biden has also promised “to ban assault weapons again come hell or high water and high capacity magazines.”