Bills · HR 1181
PASSED HOUSE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 1181Firearms and explosivesRetail and wholesale trades
Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act
INTRO FEB 11· LAST ACTION JUL 15
READING
5MIN
COSPONSORS
132
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Reported, not passed
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 4 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenVoters should care about this bill because it touches on issues of consumer privacy, government oversight of financial transactions, and the regulation of firearms. If this bill becomes law, it means that purchases made at gun stores will be processed under the same general financial codes as purchases at other types of retail stores, such as sporting goods stores or general merchandise stores. This could make it harder for third parties, including government agencies or private companies, to specifically track or identify individuals solely based on their credit card transactions at a firearm retailer.
Conversely, if this bill does not pass, payment card networks and processors could continue to implement or be required by states to implement specific codes for gun stores. This might allow for more detailed tracking of firearm-related purchases, which some argue could be useful for identifying suspicious activity or complying with law enforcement requests, while others view it as an invasion of privacy and a form of discrimination against legal gun owners and businesses. The bill also shifts control over these financial coding standards from potentially varying state and local rules to a uniform federal approach, enforced by the Attorney General.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Prohibits payment card networks and payment processors from using or requiring a merchant category code that specifically identifies a firearms retailer.
This prevents financial transactions at gun stores from being uniquely categorized, promoting privacy for purchasers.
PROVISION 02
Establishes that the U.S. Attorney General will enforce these prohibitions and investigate complaints.
This designates a federal authority to ensure compliance, creating a formal channel for addressing violations.
PROVISION 03
Preempts (overrides) any state or local laws that regulate the use of these specific firearms-related merchant category codes.
This creates a uniform national standard, preventing individual states from implementing their own unique coding requirements for gun retailers.
PROVISION 04
Requires the Attorney General to submit an annual report to Congress detailing investigations and the effectiveness of the Act.
This provides oversight and transparency regarding the implementation and impact of the new regulations.
PROVISION 05
States that the Act does not create a private right of action, meaning individuals cannot sue directly for violations.
This limits enforcement actions to the Attorney General, preventing individual lawsuits against payment card networks or covered entities.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 132
R· West Virginia
YRS IN OFFICE
1
BILLS LED
17
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 0 REP 132 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
30 EVENTSJUL 15
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
JUL 14
Rule H. Res. 1423 passed House.
JUL 14
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1423. (consideration: CR H4441-4445)
JUL 14
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 139, H.R. 8595, H.R. 9237 and H.R. 1181. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 139, H.R. 9237, and H.R. 1181 under a closed rule, and H.R. 8595 under a structured rule with one hour of debate and one motion to reconsider on each bill.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 1181
Congress119th
StatusPassed House
IntroducedFeb 11, 2025
Last actionJul 15, 2026
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PASSED HOUSE· 119TH CONGRESS · FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 11, 2025
House BillHR 1181Firearms and explosivesRetail and wholesale trades
Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act
INTRODUCED FEB 11, 2025· LAST ACTION JUL 15, 2026
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
5 min
COSPONSORS
132
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
