FIRE Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4546
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-17: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-17T13:50:10Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The FIRE Act (H.R. 4546) aims to eliminate restrictions on firearm magazines based on their ammunition capacity. It seeks to prevent federal, state, and local governments from imposing or enforcing limits on how many rounds a magazine can hold, promoting unrestricted access to such magazines for firearms.
Key Provisions
- Federal Prohibition: Amends Section 926 of Title 18, U.S. Code, to bar any federal government officer or employee from creating or enforcing rules that limit or ban firearm magazines based on capacity.
- State and Local Prohibition: Amends Section 927 of Title 18, U.S. Code, to declare that any state or local law, regulation, or penalty restricting firearm magazines by capacity is invalid and has no legal effect.
- Definitions: Adds to Section 921(a) of Title 18, U.S. Code, defining a "firearm magazine" as a fixed or detachable device that stores and feeds ammunition into a firearm, and "capacity" as the number of ammunition rounds it can hold.
- Effective Date: The changes take effect 30 days after the bill's enactment, applying to any related conduct occurring on or after that date.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces new federal prohibitions that override current regulations, such as those under the Gun Control Act of 1968 (which this bill amends), preventing capacity-based limits that may exist in federal rules.
- Nullifies existing state and local laws (e.g., bans on high-capacity magazines in places like California or New York) by making them unenforceable nationwide, shifting authority to federal preemption without altering other firearm regulations.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Federal agencies like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) would be restricted from enforcing capacity limits, potentially reducing their regulatory workload but requiring updates to guidelines and training.
- On Citizens: Firearm owners gain broader access to high-capacity magazines across all states, simplifying compliance for interstate travel or purchases, but this could increase risks in public safety scenarios if magazines hold more ammunition.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts mentioned; the bill focuses solely on domestic firearm regulations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Gun Owners and Enthusiasts: Benefit from fewer restrictions on magazine choices.
- Firearm Manufacturers and Sellers: Face reduced legal barriers to producing and distributing high-capacity magazines nationwide.
- Law Enforcement and Public Safety Officials: May encounter challenges in states with prior bans, as enforcement becomes impossible, potentially affecting response strategies to incidents involving firearms.
- State and Local Governments: Lose authority over capacity restrictions, leading to uniform national standards but possible conflicts with local public safety priorities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes federal supremacy over state laws on this issue (preemption), which could lead to lawsuits challenging the bill's scope under the Commerce Clause (federal authority over interstate trade) or the Tenth Amendment (states' rights). It does not alter background checks or other gun laws.
- Constitutional: Ties into Second Amendment debates on the right to bear arms; supporters may view it as protecting self-defense rights, while opponents could argue it enables excessive firepower without due process safeguards.
- Political: Likely to spark partisan divides, with pro-gun rights groups favoring it for deregulation, and gun control advocates opposing it for weakening local safety measures. As an introduced bill, its passage would depend on congressional support and potential presidential action.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (10)
Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7], Rep. Taylor, David J. [R-OH-2], Rep. Collins, Mike [R-GA-10], Rep. Fulcher, Russ [R-ID-1], Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8], Rep. Biggs, Sheri [R-SC-3], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Rulli, Michael A. [R-OH-6], Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26], Rep. Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5]
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-17: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-07-17: Introduced in House
- 2025-07-17: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Freedom from Improper Regulation and Enforcement Act — issued 2025-07-17 — PDF (3 pages)