RRLEF Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5453
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-18: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-01T19:36:04Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 5453 (119th Congress)
Purpose
This legislation amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to add conditions for eligibility under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. It aims to limit law enforcement agencies' interactions with certain firearms dealers whose sales are frequently linked to criminal activity, thereby promoting responsible management and retirement of law enforcement firearms.
Key Provisions
- Certification Requirement: Grant applicants and their subgrantees must certify that they will not transfer firearms to or purchase firearms from "covered licensed dealers," defined as dealers traced to at least 25 firearms with a "short time-to-crime" (three years or less from retail sale to recovery in a crime) in at least two of the three prior years.
- Public Disclosure by ATF: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) must annually publish a list of covered licensed dealers and notify state or local agencies if any of their transferred firearms are traced to criminal use.
- Repeal of Disclosure Restrictions: Removes multiple prior limitations from appropriations laws (e.g., from 2003–2012) that restricted public release of ATF tracing database information.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a new eligibility criterion tied to dealer compliance, expanding beyond current grant requirements in Section 502 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act.
- Overrides longstanding annual prohibitions on ATF data disclosure, enabling public access to dealer lists based on tracing data.
- Defines terms like "covered licensed dealer," "licensed dealer," "firearm," and "short time-to-crime" to operationalize the restrictions.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Requires the ATF to maintain and publish dealer lists, notify agencies about traced firearms, and process additional certifications; may increase administrative workload for grant oversight.
- Citizens: Could indirectly affect firearm availability if agencies shift purchases away from listed dealers, though the bill focuses on law enforcement transactions.
- International Relations: No direct impacts identified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- State and local law enforcement agencies applying for or receiving grants.
- Licensed firearms dealers meeting the tracing criteria.
- The ATF and Department of Justice for implementation and data management.
- Congress, as the body authorizing grant program changes.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Modifies federal grant eligibility and repeals embedded restrictions from prior appropriations acts, potentially expanding ATF transparency authority under existing statutes.
- Constitutional: Involves conditional federal funding tied to gun-related conduct, which may raise questions about federal power over state and local law enforcement without direct mandates.
- Political: Focuses on preventing law enforcement firearms from quickly entering criminal circulation, balancing grant funding with dealer accountability measures.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (28)
Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14], Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4], Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5], Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6], Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31], Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-18: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-09-18: Introduced in House
- 2025-09-18: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Responsible Retirement of Law Enforcement Firearms Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-18 — PDF (6 pages)