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119-s-3085119th Congress

Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Risch, James E. [R-ID]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would ensure continuous firearm background checks and export-license processing during shutdowns. It says specific FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives enforcement work and Commerce and State export-license activities would be treated as emergency functions and their staff deemed excepted employees.

Show full summary
  • Gun buyers and sellers: The FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) would keep processing checks to avoid purchase delays during a funding lapse.
  • Exporters and manufacturers: The Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security and the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls would continue processing firearms export license applications to limit interruptions to international sales.
  • Federal employees: Personnel carrying out these firearms enforcement and export-license functions would be considered excepted employees and would keep working during a lapse.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Keep gun checks and export reviews

If enacted, this bill would keep certain firearm-related federal work running during a government shutdown. It would treat the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, including background checks supporting the ATF, as an emergency function. It would also keep the ATF enforcement directorate, Commerce Department export-license work on firearms, and State Department defense trade controls export reviews running. Employees doing that work would be treated as excepted from furlough under 31 U.S.C. 1341(c). The changes would take effect upon enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Risch, James E. [R-ID]

ID • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 10/30/2025

  • Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]

    LA • R

    Sponsored 10/30/2025

  • Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 10/30/2025

  • Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 10/30/2025

  • Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]

    OK • R

    Sponsored 10/30/2025

  • Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS]

    MS • R

    Sponsored 10/30/2025

  • Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 10/30/2025

  • Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 10/30/2025

  • Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]

    NE • R

    Sponsored 10/30/2025

  • Sen. Moody, Ashley [R-FL]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 12/18/2025

  • Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 2/11/2026

  • Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 7/23/2026

  • Sen. Graham, Darline [R-SC]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 7/28/2026

  • Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]

    TN • R

    Sponsored 7/28/2026

  • Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]

    AR • R

    Sponsored 9/15/2026

  • Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 9/15/2026

  • Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]

    KS • R

    Sponsored 9/22/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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