Congressional Legislation · bill 119s367 · built from our database

Only the left has signed this so far (Bill Ranking)

Stop Arming Cartels Act of 2025

S. 367 · 119th Congress (2025-2026)

S. 367119TH CONGRESSINTRODUCED 02/03/2025SEN. DURBIND-IL · SPONSORLeft: no (Sponsor Ranking)Lean left: DW-NOMINATE -0.34 (Sponsor Ranking)Center: no (Sponsor Ranking)Lean right: no (Sponsor Ranking)Right: no (Sponsor Ranking)LEAN LEFT(SPONSOR RANKING)CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

17 members · Left 16 · Center 1 · Right 0 (Bill Ranking)

SponsorSen. Durbin, Richard J. (D-IL) (Introduced 02/03/2025)
Sponsor Voting RecordLean left · DW-NOMINATE -0.34 · measured from every roll-call vote this member has cast (voteview.com) (Sponsor Ranking)
Support
LLLCLRR

support across the spectrum: 17 members signed on (Bill Ranking) this bill: sponsor + current cosponsors, each once

CommitteesSenate - Finance Committee
Latest Action02/03/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text: CR S546)
Roll Call VotesThere have been no roll call votes
Sourceview on congress.gov →
IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateResolving DifferencesTo PresidentBecame Law

Summary (1)

Introduced in Senate (02/03/2025)

Stop Arming Cartels Act of 2025

This bill expands the regulation of .50 caliber rifles under federal firearms laws and authorizes new civil remedies for certain violations.

Firearms that are trafficked from the United States to Mexico are often routed to transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), including cartels. In recent years, TCOs increasingly use .50 caliber rifles in attacks on Mexican security forces.

In 2025, in Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) bars a civil lawsuit by Mexico against U.S. firearms manufacturers and one U.S. firearms distributor for costs associated with gun violence in Mexico. (The PLCAA limits the civil liability of firearms manufacturers and sellers for damages resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of firearms.)

This bill generally criminalizes the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, and possession of .50 caliber rifles under the Gun Control Act and subjects .50 caliber rifles to regulation (i.e., registration and licensing requirements) under the National Firearms Act.

Additionally, the bill criminalizes the sale or transfer of firearms and ammunition to foreign individuals or entities designated as significant foreign narcotics traffickers or as part of their networks and sanctioned under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act).

Finally, the bill creates an exception under the PLCAA to allow civil lawsuits against firearms manufacturers or sellers that knowingly sell or transfer a firearm or ammunition to a foreign individual or entity designated and sanctioned under the Kingpin Act.

Text (1)

Introduced in Senate (IS)

119 S367 IS: Stop Arming Cartels Act of 2025 U.S. Senate 2025-02-03 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. II119th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 367IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESFebruary 3, 2025Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Booker, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Kim, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on FinanceA BILLTo prohibit the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of .50 caliber rifles, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Stop Arming Cartels Act of 2025.2.Prohibition on rifles capable of firing .50 caliber ammunition(a)In generalChapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—(1)in section 922, by adding at the end the following:(aa)Rifles capable of firing .50 caliber ammunition(1)In generalExcept as provided in paragraph (2), it shall be unlawful for any person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a rifle capable of firing .50 caliber ammunition.(2)Exceptions(A)Government useParagraph (1) shall not apply to the importation for, manufacture for, sale to, transfer to, or possession by the United States, a department or agency of the United States, a State, or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State, of a rifle capable of firing .50 caliber ammunition.(B)Grandfathered riflesParagraph (1) shall not apply to the sale, transfer, or possession of any rifle otherwise lawfully possessed on or before the date of enactment of the Stop Arming Cartels Act of 2025.; and(2)in section 924(a)(1)(B), by striking or (q) and inserting (q), or (aa).(b)Inclusion of certain rifles as firearms under National Firearms Act(1)In generalSection 5845(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking and (8) a destructive device and inserting (8) a destructive device; and (9) a rifle which is capable of firing .50 caliber ammunition and is lawfully possessed on or before the date of enactment of the Stop Arming Cartels Act of 2025.(2)Effective date(A)In generalSubject to subparagraph (B), the amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on the date which is 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act.(B)Registration(i)In generalNotwithstanding subparagraph (A) or any other provision of law, any person possessing a rifle which is capable of firing .50 caliber ammunition which is not registered to such person in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record shall register each such rifle so possessed with the Secretary in such form and manner as the Secretary may require within the 12-month period immediately following the date of enactment of this Act. No fee or tax shall be imposed with respect to any registration required under this subparagraph.(ii)Inclusion in registryAny registration described in clause (i) shall become a part of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. No information or evidence required to be submitted or retained by a natural person to register a firearm under this subparagraph shall be used, directly or indirectly, as evidence against such person in any criminal proceeding with respect to a prior or concurrent violation of law.(C)DefinitionsIn this paragraph:(i)National Firearms Registration and Transfer RecordThe term National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record means the registry established pursuant to section 5841 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.(ii)SecretaryThe term Secretary has the same meaning given such term under section 7701(a)(11)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.3.Exception to coverage under Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms ActSection 4(5)(A) of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (15 U.S.C. 7903(5)(A)) is amended—(1)in clause (v), by striking or at the end;(2)in clause (vi), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or; and(3)by adding at the end the following:(vii)an action brought against a manufacturer or seller that knowingly sells or transfers a qualified product, or attempts or conspires to do so, knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the transaction is prohibited under section 805(c) of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (21 U.S.C. 1904(c))..4.Federal firearm prohibitor for significant foreign narcotics traffickers and certain other foreign persons(a)In generalSection 922(d) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—(1)in paragraph (10), by striking or at the end;(2)by redesignating paragraph (11) as paragraph (12);(3)by inserting after paragraph (10) the following:(11)is—(A)a significant foreign narcotics trafficker publicly identified by the President in a report under subsection (b) or (h)(1) of section 804 of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (21 U.S.C. 1903); or(B)a foreign person designated by the Secretary of the Treasury under section 805(b) of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (21 U.S.C. 1904(b)); or; and(4)in paragraph (12), as so redesignated, by striking (10) and inserting (11).(b)Conforming amendments relating to NICSSection 103 of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (34 U.S.C. 40901) is amended—(1)in subsection (b)(2)(D), by inserting or that transfer of a firearm or ammunition to the individual would violate subsection (d)(11) of such section 922 after section 922 of title 18, United States Code,;(2)in subsection (e)(1)—(A)in subparagraph (A), by inserting or to whom transfer of a firearm would violate subsection (d)(11) of such section 922, after section 922 of title 18, United States Code or State law,;(B)in subparagraph (C), by inserting or that transfer of a firearm or ammunition to the person would violate subsection (d)(11) of such section 922, after section 922 of title 18, United States Code,;(C)in subparagraph (F)(iii)(I), by striking (g) or (n) and inserting (d)(11), (g), or (n); and(D)in subparagraph (G)(i), by striking (g) or (n) and inserting (d)(11), (g), or (n);(3)in subsection (g), by inserting or that transfer of a firearm to a prospective transferee would violate subsection (d)(11) of such section 922, after section 922 of title 18, United States Code or State law,; and(4)in subsection (i)(2)—(A)by striking persons, and inserting persons who are; and(B)by inserting before the period at the end the following: , or to whom transfer of a firearm would violate subsection (d)(11) of such section 922.5.Adding rifles to multiple firearm sales reporting requirementsSection 923(g)(3)(A) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking pistols, or revolvers, or any combination of pistols and revolvers and inserting pistols, revolvers, or rifles, or any combination of pistols, revolvers, and rifles.

The bill's own words, from our database (synced from the GPO BILLS XML); paragraph breaks added at the bill's section boundaries, nothing else changed.

All Actions (2)

DateChamberAll Actions
02/03/2025Library of CongressIntroduced in Senate
02/03/2025SenateRead twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text: CR S546)

Titles (3)

Title TypeTitle
Display TitleStop Arming Cartels Act of 2025
Short Title(s) as IntroducedStop Arming Cartels Act of 2025
Official Title as IntroducedA bill to prohibit the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of .50 caliber rifles, and for other purposes.

Amendments (0)

There are no amendments to this bill.

Cosponsors (16)

* = Original cosponsor

Committees (1)

CommitteeActivity
Senate - Finance Committee02/03/2025 Referred To

Related Bills (1)

Subjects (8)

Policy Area: Crime and Law Enforcement

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