# 119-s-1652: Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2025 119-s-1652, Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] (R-IA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-24). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1652 - As of: 2026-09-24 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: 119-s-1652 - Congress: 119 - Title: Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2025 - Status: introduced - Introduced: 2025-05-07 - Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] (R-IA) - Cosponsors: 1 - Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement - Touches household money: yes - Last recorded action: 2026-09-24 ## Summary **This bill would push for more complete federal background‑check records and broaden federal enforcement of firearms crimes by expanding targeted prosecutions and new DOJ task forces.** It focuses on improving NICS data, tightening definitions around mental‑health prohibitions, and funding prosecutions and oversight. - Families and people with mental‑health contacts would face clearer rules on who is considered "adjudicated mentally incompetent" for gun prohibitions, and agencies would be required to prioritize submitting relevant records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). - States would face new grant accountability and phased Byrne Justice Assistance Grant withholdings if they do not provide required mental‑health records or lack a relief‑from‑disabilities program, starting at a 5 percent withholding and rising to 10 percent after five years. - Law enforcement and prosecutors would get new federal tools and funding: an expanded "Project Exile" in high‑homicide areas plus multijurisdictional task forces, a DOJ Felon and Fugitive Firearm Task Force, and authorizations including $20 million per year for NICS efforts, $15 million per year for Project Exile in FY2026–FY2028, and $10 million per year for the DOJ task force. ## Cosponsors (1) - Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] (R-TX), 2025-05-07T00:00:00.000Z ## Provisions PRIA read - Expanded travel protections for gun owners: benefit, high. If enacted, you would be able to travel across State lines with an unloaded firearm that is not directly accessible while stopping for overnight lodging, food, fuel, repairs, emergencies, or medical care. The gun and ammo must be stored according to the new rules (unloaded and inaccessible or locke… - New definition for mental incompetence: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would narrow who counts as "adjudicated mentally incompetent" for federal gun rules. It would require a binding order or finding after a hearing with notice and a chance for counsel (or a knowing waiver). It would exclude observation stays and voluntary admissions and would not… - Veterans and service members' gun rules: benefit, medium. If enacted, the VA would not treat a veteran as "adjudicated mentally incompetent" for gun law purposes unless a judge, magistrate, or other court found the person is a danger to self or others. The bill would also clarify residency rules for active-duty service members and spouses so they count as… - More transfer locations and protections: benefit, medium. If enacted, licensed gun sellers could do transfers at more places. The law would treat 'firearm' broadly and let licensee-to-licensee transfers occur at any location in a State and some temporary-location sales to unlicensed buyers. The bill would also require senior DOJ approval in writing before… - Stronger background-check records and grants: benefit, medium. If enacted, the Attorney General would issue guidance within 45 days and agencies would identify and send records that show people are barred from guns to the NICS background-check system. The bill would authorize $20 million per year for NICS Improvement grants for each of FY2026–FY2030, start DOJ… - New DOJ firearm task forces and funding: benefit, low. If enacted, DOJ would create and run several new firearms enforcement efforts. A Felon and Fugitive Firearm Task Force would be formed and meet at least twice per year and get up to $10 million per year for FY2026–FY2030. A Nationwide Project Exile Expansion must start within 90 days and would get… - Higher penalties and wider offenses: cost, low. If enacted, the bill would add subsection (n) to the list of covered prohibited acts, expanding the reach of 18 U.S.C. 924(a)(8). It would also raise the maximum prison term for certain false gun-purchase statements so some violations could carry up to 10 years instead of five. ## Related bills - 119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 - 119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 - 119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026 - 119-s-275: Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers (ACCESS) Act of 2025 - 119-s-258: TORNADO Act - 119-s-3752: SAVE America Act ## Sources - [119-s-1652 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1652) ## Related - [119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1071) - [119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-524) - [119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3923) - [119-s-275: Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers (ACCESS)…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-275) - [119-s-258: TORNADO Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-258) - [119-s-3752: SAVE America Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3752) - [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1652 (as of 2026-09-24).