Bills · HR 5453
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 5453Crime and Law Enforcement
RRLEF Act of 2025
INTRO SEP 18· LAST ACTION SEP 18
READING
5MIN
COSPONSORS
28
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 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 aims to reduce gun violence by targeting a specific pathway for firearms into criminal hands: dealers whose guns are quickly used in crimes. By tying federal grant money to avoiding these problematic dealers, the bill creates a strong incentive for law enforcement agencies to ensure they are not inadvertently supporting the illegal gun market, such as through 'straw purchases' where a gun is bought legally for someone who cannot legally own it.
If this bill becomes law, it could lead to greater accountability for firearm dealers with a history of selling guns that quickly end up in crimes, potentially making it harder for these firearms to be diverted. It would also increase transparency for the public by providing information about such dealers. If the bill does not pass, existing practices would continue, without the financial incentives for agencies to change their dealer relationships, without the public list of 'covered licensed dealers,' and with current restrictions on the ATF's ability to publicly share critical firearm tracing data.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Requires law enforcement agencies applying for Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants to certify they will not transfer firearms to, or purchase firearms from, "covered licensed dealers."
This creates a financial incentive for law enforcement agencies to avoid gun dealers frequently linked to crime guns.
PROVISION 02
Defines a "covered licensed dealer" as a dealer from whom the ATF has traced at least 25 firearms with a "short time-to-crime" in at least two of the previous three years.
This clearly establishes the criteria for identifying gun dealers considered problematic under the new grant eligibility rules.
PROVISION 03
Mandates the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to annually publish a public list of all "covered licensed dealers" on its internet website.
This increases transparency for law enforcement agencies and the public regarding dealers whose firearms are frequently used in crimes.
PROVISION 04
Requires the ATF to annually notify state or local law enforcement agencies if any firearm they previously transferred was used or suspected of being used in a criminal offense.
This provides direct feedback to agencies about the criminal misuse of firearms they have handled, promoting awareness.
PROVISION 05
Repeals several existing legislative provisions that have previously limited the public disclosure of certain ATF database information.
This removes legal barriers, enabling the ATF to publish the list of "covered licensed dealers" and share tracing information as required by the bill.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 28
D· Rhode Island
YRS IN OFFICE
2
BILLS LED
23
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 28 REP 0 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSSEP 18
Introduced in House
SEP 18
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 5453
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedSep 18, 2025
Last actionSep 18, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED SEP 18, 2025
House BillHR 5453Crime and Law Enforcement
RRLEF Act of 2025
INTRODUCED SEP 18, 2025· LAST ACTION SEP 18, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
5 min
COSPONSORS
28
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
