Gun Records Restoration and Preservation Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4776
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-11: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-01T20:34:13Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation, titled the Gun Records Restoration and Preservation Act, seeks to repeal restrictions known as the Tiahrt Amendments. These amendments, embedded in prior appropriations laws, limit the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in collecting, maintaining, and sharing firearms trace data and related records. The bill aims to remove barriers to enforcement of firearms laws and improve access to information for policy development.
Key provisions
- Repeals specific provisos from fiscal years 2005 through 2012 that restrict ATF's use of database information on firearms traces.
- Eliminates the ban on processing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests related to arson, explosives incidents, or firearm traces.
- Removes limitations preventing the ATF from requiring annual physical inventory audits of firearms dealers.
- Ends the prohibition on consolidating or centralizing firearms acquisition and disposition records within the Department of Justice.
- Repeals the mandate to destroy National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) records within 24 hours.
Significant changes to existing law This bill amends multiple appropriations acts (such as Public Laws 112-55, 111-117, 111-8, 110-161, 109-108, 108-447, and 113-6) by striking restrictive language that has applied annually or permanently. It also fully repeals Section 644 of Public Law 108-7 regarding FOIA processing and modifies Section 511 of Public Law 112-55 to allow retention of background check records beyond 24 hours. These actions restore ATF authority that has been curtailed since the mid-2000s.
Potential impacts
- On government agencies: Enables ATF to retain trace data, conduct inventory audits, centralize records, and respond to FOIA requests, potentially improving enforcement efficiency and data analysis.
- On citizens: May increase public access to gun trace information through FOIA and support research on gun trafficking patterns.
- On international relations: No direct provisions address this area.
Main stakeholders affected
- Federal agencies, particularly the ATF and Department of Justice.
- Federal firearms licensees (gun dealers) subject to potential inventory requirements.
- Law enforcement agencies at federal, state, and local levels seeking trace data.
- Researchers and the public using FOIA or data for policy analysis.
- Firearms owners and advocacy groups concerned with record retention practices.
Notable legal, constitutional, or political implications The bill directly addresses appropriations riders rather than core statutes like the Gun Control Act, focusing on administrative flexibility for recordkeeping. Retention of NICS records and expanded data access could raise questions about privacy under existing laws, though the legislation itself makes no explicit constitutional references. It reverses long-standing congressional limits on ATF operations, shifting authority toward greater data preservation without altering underlying firearms licensing requirements.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (12)
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI], Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI], Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL], Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ], Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY], Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-11: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-06-11: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Gun Records Restoration and Preservation Act — issued 2026-06-11 — PDF (7 pages)