Second Amendment Groups Support New Bill to Protect Gun Purchase Privacy

Second Amendment advocates have expressed their approval of a bill introduced by Republican lawmakers that aims to prevent credit card companies and banks from tracking legal gun purchases.

The proposed legislation, known as the “Privacy Protection under Purchasing Law,” seeks to stop payment card networks from using specific codes to monitor legal firearm transactions or identify retailers that sell firearms. This would mean that firearm retailers wouldn’t have to use separate Merchant Category Codes (MCCs), which categorize businesses based on their offerings.

If the bill passes, the attorney general would need to submit an annual report to Congress detailing all investigations tied to this issue and assessing the law’s effectiveness.

Gun rights groups are rallying behind this initiative, asserting that it helps safeguard Second Amendment rights for Americans. John Comerford, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), voiced concerns about payment card networks attempting to surveil gun owners. “The NRA has been at the forefront, advocating for the privacy of law-abiding firearm owners,” he commented. “This bill prohibits financial institutions from using specific codes that can identify firearm retailers, effectively preventing a backdoor national registry of gun owners.” He emphasized that the bill is a crucial step to protect constitutional activities and urged lawmakers supporting gun rights to back this legislation promptly.

Ben Huynh Sanderson, Deputy Director for Federal Affairs at the Gun Owners Association, mentioned instances during former President Biden’s administration when banks, like Bank of America, shared information with the FBI regarding gun purchases.

In response, Bank of America stated that it adheres fully to legal obligations and regulatory requirements when collaborating with law enforcement and the Treasury Department.

An official from the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) remarked that the bill is essential to prevent interference from blue states in legal firearm purchases. “This legislation is key to halting the economic surveillance of lawful gun owners. There’s no reason for federal authorities to create a financial system that tracks what law-abiding citizens buy, especially when it comes to exercising their constitutional rights,” they noted, highlighting concerns about states using banking systems to intimidate gun owners.

The NRA previously sued former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, alleging that his administration pressured banks to cut ties with gun rights organizations through intimidation.

Republican Reps. Riley Moore (West Virginia), Andy Barr (Kentucky), and Richard Hudson (North Carolina) initiated this bill in February 2025, with Republican Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee introducing it in the Senate. It recently progressed through the House Financial Services Committee and has been scheduled for consideration on the House floor.

Moore emphasized his commitment to protecting American rights and criticized any effort to gather data on citizens simply exercising their rights. He condemned the actions of the Biden administration that pressured financial institutions to disclose customer information, warning of the potential danger that private databases of gun owners might fall into the hands of future administrations opposed to gun rights.

This bill specifically seeks to prevent payment card networks from requiring unique merchant codes that distinguish firearm retailers from other types of sellers, a move that has gained criticism from House Republicans. Some of these codes were set to take effect in September 2022, which intended to facilitate tracking of gun purchases but have since faced delays due to legal uncertainties. However, the concerns remain regarding how this could impact law-abiding gun owners.

In the past, previous administrations, such as former President Obama’s, initiated practices to pressure banks against serving the firearm industry. Although the Trump administration ceased these actions, some financial institutions continued to apply pressure. Citigroup recently announced it would stop direct debits for certain firearm-related retailers due to changing regulations.

As discussions around the bill continue, the sentiment shared by gun advocates highlights a broader concern about privacy and the potential implications of tracking gun purchases.