Bill Summary
The "Clean Hands Firearm Procurement Act" is a proposed legislation aimed at increasing accountability among federally licensed firearms dealers. The key provisions of the bill include:
1. **Public Disclosure**: The Attorney General, through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), is required to publish an annual list of firearms dealers identified as "covered" due to a high number of firearms traced to crimes within a short time frame (known as "time-to-crime").
2. **Contract Prohibition**: Federal agencies are prohibited from contracting with any firearms dealer listed as a "covered firearms dealer" during the current calendar year or the two preceding years. This measure seeks to discourage business relationships with dealers that have questionable sales practices.
3. **National Security Waiver**: The bill allows for a waiver of this contracting prohibition if requested by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security, provided that it is necessary for national security. Any granted waivers must be reported to key congressional leadership, potentially in classified form.
4. **Definitions**: The legislation defines terms such as "covered firearms dealer," "Federal agency," "firearm," and "licensed dealer" to clarify the scope of the law.
Overall, this act seeks to enhance the oversight of firearms dealers and reduce the risk of gun-related crimes by limiting federal procurement from those with a history of high crime trace rates.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the "Clean Hands Firearm Procurement Act" could affect people:
1. **Impact on Firearms Dealers**: Licensed firearms dealers who have a high number of short time-to-crime traces may find themselves listed as "covered firearms dealers." This could significantly impact their business operations, as federal agencies would be prohibited from contracting with them. This loss of federal contracts could lead to decreased revenue and potentially force some dealers to close or reduce their staff.
2. **Increased Transparency for Consumers**: By requiring the Attorney General to publish a list of firearms dealers with a high number of short time-to-crime traces, the legislation promotes transparency in the firearms marketplace. Consumers may feel more informed about the practices of different dealers, potentially influencing their purchasing decisions. Buyers may choose to avoid dealers on the list, thereby affecting the sales of those dealers.
3. **Influence on Law Enforcement and Public Safety**: The act aims to reduce gun violence by limiting access to firearms from dealers who have a history of selling weapons that are quickly used in crimes. This could lead to a decrease in crime rates and improve public safety, as fewer firearms would be available through dealers with problematic sales records. Communities may experience a reduction in gun-related incidents, contributing to an overall increase in safety and security.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4198 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4198
To require the Attorney General to make publicly available a list of
federally licensed firearms dealers with a high number of short time-
to-crime firearm traces, and to prohibit Federal departments and
agencies from contracting with such dealers.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 26, 2025
Mr. Raskin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Attorney General to make publicly available a list of
federally licensed firearms dealers with a high number of short time-
to-crime firearm traces, and to prohibit Federal departments and
agencies from contracting with such dealers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Clean Hands Firearm Procurement
Act''.
SEC. 2. FEDERAL GUN TRACING NOTIFICATIONS.
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act,
and annually thereafter, the Attorney General, acting through the
Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives,
shall publish or make publicly available a list of covered firearms
dealers.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL CONTRACTS WITH CERTAIN FEDERAL FIREARMS
DEALERS.
(a) Prohibition.--A Federal agency may not enter into a contract
with a licensed dealer that has been listed as a covered firearms
dealer during the current calendar year or either of the preceding 2
calendar years.
(b) Waiver Authority.--
(1) In general.--Upon a request by the Secretary of Defense
or the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Attorney General may
waive the applicability of subsection (a) to a contract, to
protect the national security of the United States.
(2) Notice.--The Attorney General shall immediately notify
the Chair and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on the
Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Chair and
Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on the Judiciary of
the Senate of any waiver granted under paragraph (1). Notice
under this paragraph may be submitted in classified form.
(c) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect 180 days after
the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Covered firearms dealer.--The term ``covered firearms
dealer'' means a licensed dealer with respect to whom, during
not less than 2 of the 3 calendar years before the publication
of the applicable list under section 2, the National Tracing
Center of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and
Explosives has traced to the firearms business of the licensed
dealer not less than 25 firearms with a time-to-crime of not
more than 3 years.
(2) Federal agency.--The term ``Federal agency'' means a
department, agency, office, or other establishment in the
executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of
the United States.
(3) Firearm.--The term ``firearm'' has the meaning given
that term in section 921(a) of title 18, United States Code.
(4) Licensed dealer.--The term ``licensed dealer'' has the
meaning given that term in section 921(a) of title 18, United
States Code.
(5) Time-to-crime.--The term ``time-to-crime'' means, with
respect to a firearm, the period between the date of the last
known retail sale of the firearm and the date a law enforcement
agency recovers the firearm as a result of an actual or
suspected purchase, use, or possession of the firearm in, or
that constitutes, a crime.
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