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119-s-3289119th Congress

Crime Gun Tracing Modernization Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]

Introduced

Summary

Centralized electronic firearm tracing database. This bill would expand the ATF's National Tracing Center to create and maintain searchable electronic records covering importation, production, shipment, receipt, sale, and other disposition of firearms.

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  • Licensees. Federal firearms licensees would have to submit the records required under the licensing rules or give the ATF electronic access to those records. They could voluntarily relinquish paper records after 10 years or for acquisition/disposition books after 10 years with no open disposition entries.
  • ATF and law enforcement. The National Tracing Center would have up to 3 years to build the databases and could remotely query them for bona fide law enforcement investigations, for foreign intelligence purposes as defined in FISA section 101, or during compliance inspections. With a State's permission, the NTC could access that State's firearm registration or pawnbroker records system.
  • Search limits and data content. Databases would be searchable by date of acquisition or disposition, license number, and firearm descriptors such as manufacturer, importer, model, serial number, type, and caliber or gauge. They must not be searchable by personally identifiable information and search results must include the full contents of the relevant records.
  • Oversight. The Comptroller General would audit ATF and the National Tracing Center for compliance within 1 year of enactment and then every 2 years and report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

New national gun-trace database

This bill would require the ATF National Tracing Center to build and keep an electronic, searchable database of licensee records about firearm importation, production, shipment, receipt, sale, or other disposition. The database would have to be set up not later than 3 years after enactment. Licensees could give the ATF electronic access to required records or voluntarily hand over old paper records after 10 years under set conditions. The ATF could query the database only for a bona fide law enforcement investigation, foreign intelligence or related assessment, or during a compliance inspection of an active licensee. With a State's permission, the ATF could also access that State's firearms registration or pawnbroker records. Searches would be by dates, license number, and firearm details (manufacturer, importer, model, serial number, type, caliber/gauge). The system would not allow searches by a person's personally identifiable information. Search results would include the full contents of the matching licensee records. The Comptroller General would audit ATF compliance not later than 1 year after enactment and every 2 years. The paragraph would take effect even if other laws limit ATF or DOJ funding.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]

RI • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 12/1/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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