Gun Records Restoration and Preservation Act
Sponsored By: Senator Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
Introduced
Summary
Expands federal access to and retention of firearms records. The bill would repeal multiple statutory limits that restrict how the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Justice use, centralize, and keep gun transaction, trace, and background-check data.
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- Would remove specified prohibitions contained in several appropriations acts for fiscal years 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012, and thereby lift limits on ATF data use. This change would let ATF and DOJ consolidate and analyze acquisition and disposition records more freely.
- Would strike language that blocked the government from imposing physical inventory checks on Federal firearms licensees. That makes it easier for authorities to require dealers to perform and report inventory inspections.
- Would repeal Section 644 of the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 and amend Section 511 of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 to end a 24-hour destruction requirement for certain instant background-check records. Together these changes expand processing of Freedom of Information Act requests for arson, explosives, and firearm traces and broaden retention and access for enforcement and research.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Ongoing inventory checks for gun dealers
This bill would remove a time limit that prevented ATF from requiring ongoing physical inventory checks of licensed gun dealers. If enacted, federal firearms licensees would face the possibility of more frequent inventory checks and more recordkeeping. The change would take effect upon enactment.
More access and retention of gun records
This bill would remove several appropriations limits that restricted ATF's use of firearms records, including changes tied to fiscal years 2005–2012. It would repeal a ban on processing FOIA requests about arson, explosives, and firearm traces. It would also remove the 24-hour destruction requirement for instant gun background check records, letting agencies keep those records longer. If enacted, ATF and DOJ would have broader access to and retention of gun-related data, while individuals' privacy protections could be reduced.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov