U.S. House Passes Bill to Block Credit Card Tracking of Gun Sales

On July 14, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a new bill designed to stop credit card companies from monitoring purchases related to firearms and ammunition.

The measure, known as HR 1181, was passed by a vote of 221 to 201. The majority of support came from Republicans, with 215 voting in favor, alongside five Democrats and one independent.

Sponsored by Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV), the bill aims to protect consumer privacy when it comes to gun-related transactions.

Reportedly, Moore first introduced the legislation, dubbed the “Purchase Privacy Protection Act,” on February 12, 2025. He felt compelled to act after significant pressure from prominent credit card firms in response to the gun control movement gaining traction during the Biden administration.

For instance, on September 11, 2022, it was highlighted that Visa had succumbed to lobbying from gun control advocates and agreed to categorize gun purchases with specific seller codes. Other companies, including Mastercard, have also consented to report these transactions. Discover announced plans to begin tracking such purchases starting in April 2023, as reported on March 2, 2023.

The public reaction to these decisions was quite pronounced. By March 9, 2023, Visa and Mastercard reversed their earlier commitments, deciding not to implement tracking of gun and ammunition sales as initially planned. Discover followed suit the next day, putting a stop to its tracking intentions.

Through HR 1181, Moore aims to eliminate the ability for credit card companies to reconsider such tracking practices.

The NRA-ILA remarked that this legislation would prevent credit card companies from creating a hidden registry of law-abiding gun owners, which could be accessed by external parties, including federal authorities and gun control groups. Moore emphasized the importance of this measure.