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119-s-3212119th CongressWALLET

AIM Act

Sponsored By: Senator Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

Introduced

Summary

Expands ATF and DOJ access to firearms trace data, dealer records, and enforcement tools. This bill removes many statutory limits on tracing, centralizes licensee records, alters inspection and revocation standards, and changes rules on imports, inventories, and background-check retention.

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  • Law enforcement and investigations: Gives the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and DOJ broader authority to use trace data and to consolidate dealer acquisition and disposition records. It also lifts bans on drawing broader conclusions from traces and reopens Freedom of Information Act processing for traces, arson, and explosives requests.
  • Dealers and licensees: Allows agencies to require physical inventories and to search computerized records of out-of-business dealers. It bars license denials for lack of business activity, changes the revocation standard from "willful" to "knowing", and limits appeals to evidence already in the record.
  • Importers and owners: Repeals limits on importing certain curios, relics, and surplus military firearms and relaxes some shotgun import restrictions labeled "not sporting". It also removes short destruction rules for instant-check records so those records can be retained longer.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.

Stricter rules for firearms dealers

If enacted, this would make it easier for ATF to deny or revoke Federal Firearms Licenses. It would change the legal standard from “willfully” to “knowingly.” It would let ATF deny licenses for lack of business activity, require physical inventory checks and inspections for recordkeeping, and limit appeals to only evidence already in the agency record. If you hold or apply for a federal firearms license, you would face higher legal and compliance risk.

More ATF data and records access

If enacted, DOJ and ATF would be able to use and share firearms trace data more broadly and process FOIA requests about traces and arson/explosives. They could centralize and electronically search dealer acquisition and disposition records. The bill would also remove a 24-hour rule that required destroying some background-check (NICS) records. These changes would help investigations and research but would reduce privacy for people whose guns are traced.

Changes to firearm import approvals

If enacted, ATF and DOJ would regain discretion over some import approvals for certain shotguns, collectors’ "curios or relics," and surplus military firearms. That would remove several statutory restrictions that had limited agency action. Importers and collectors could see more approvals in some cases and stricter denials in others depending on future agency decisions. This would change availability and approvals for some imported firearms and collectibles.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

MD • D

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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