Firearm Destruction Licensure Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
Introduced
Summary
Creates a federal licensure system for businesses that destroy firearms. This bill would set a national standard for how private entities destroy firearms, add reporting rules, and authorize grants to pay licensed dealers to perform destruction for government entities.
Show full summary
- Would define a new category, a "firearm destroyer," and make it unlawful for non-licensed people to engage in the business of destroying firearms. Licensed Federal Firearms Licensees could add destruction to their activities and must follow destruction-specific obligations when they receive firearms from government entities.
- Would let States, the District of Columbia, territories, and Tribal governments receive grants to pay licensed dealers to destroy firearms using "covered methods" that render guns unrecoverable. Grant funding would be available beginning not later than 1 year after the bill's effective date and is authorized as "such sums as may be necessary."
- Would require annual reporting by licensed destroyers, with counts of guns destroyed and breakdowns by source and method, and would require the Attorney General, through the ATF Director, to publish those reports. The ATF must issue a final rule within 180 days after enactment and may revoke licenses for willful noncompliance after due process.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
New license for firearm destroyers
If enacted, this bill would create a federal license for anyone in the business of destroying firearms, excluding government agencies. It would define an approved "covered method" that makes a firearm and all parts unrecoverable and scrap-ready. Dealers would have to certify they will use a covered method for government-transferred guns. The ATF would issue final rules on acceptable methods and recordkeeping within 180 days, and the law would take effect 180 days after enactment.
Reporting and prices for firearm destroyers
If enacted, licensed dealers who destroy firearms would have to send an annual report to the ATF starting within one year after the law's effective date and each year after. The report would list total guns received for destruction, guns from government destroyed using a covered method, and guns destroyed other ways (including partial destruction of parts). ATF would publish each report and an aggregate summary. Dealers would also have to publicly disclose amounts charged to government entities and must use a covered method for government-transferred guns unless both parties agree otherwise.
Unlicensed firearm destroying becomes criminal
If enacted, the bill would amend federal criminal law to cover unlicensed destroying of firearms and treat "destroying" like "manufacturing" for existing penalty rules. The change would take effect 180 days after enactment. This would expand the statute's coverage to include destruction activities done without a required license.
Grants to pay firearm destruction
If enacted, the Attorney General would award grants to State, local, and Tribal governments to pay licensed dealers to destroy firearms using covered methods. Grants must be available no later than one year after the law's effective date. The statute authorizes ‘‘such sums as may be necessary,’’ so actual funding requires future appropriations.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
CA • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov