H.R. 1181 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Jul 14, 2026. Received Jul 15, 2026; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryRestricts merchant codes for gun retailers
Payment card networks currently use special codes to categorize different types of businesses when you swipe your card. This bill would prohibit those networks from using codes that single out firearms retailers as distinct from general-merchandise stores or sporting-goods stores. The Department of Justice would be responsible for enforcing the rule and reporting annually on any investigations.
How it affects you
If you buy firearms or ammunition, your transaction would be tracked the same way as a purchase at a general store or sporting-goods retailer, rather than flagged with a distinct code. The change primarily affects how payment networks categorize these purchases, which could impact whether banks or credit card companies treat these transactions differently.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Feb 11, 2025)
Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act
This bill prohibits payment card networks from using merchant codes that distinguish firearms retailers from general-merchandise retailers or sporting-goods retailers.
The Department of Justice must enforce this bill and report annually on the resulting investigations and cases.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 1181
AN ACT
Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act
Sponsor: Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV-2) · Introduced Feb 11, 2025 · Finance and Financial Sector · 4 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jul 15, 2026: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.”
How Congress voted
Official roll callsHouse · On Passage · Jul 14, 2026
Passage Passed 221–201
| Party | Yes | No | Didn’t vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 5 | 200 | 7 |
| Independents | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Republicans | 215 | 1 | 2 |
6 members voted against most of their party: 5 Democrats voted Yes and 1 Republicans voted No.
Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.