CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Riley Moore (R-WV)

Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act

H.R. 1181 · House bill Finance and Financial Sector

A Republican bill with 132 Republican cosponsors · See all 132 cosponsors

Last activity — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

In the other chamber's committee

Passed one chamber and has been handed to a committee in the other.

The committee decides whether it goes any further, and most bills that reach a committee never leave it. A committee that simply does nothing kills a bill without anyone ever voting against it, so no news from here is usually the news.

Its path through Congress

  1. Introduced
  2. Passed House 221–201
  3. In Senate committee

What this bill would do

This bill, known as the "Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act," prohibits payment card networks and covered entities from using specific merchant category codes to distinguish firearms retailers from other types of retailers. It prevents these codes from being used to identify businesses engaged in selling firearms, ammunition, or related components. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcing these rules, investigating complaints, and seeking injunctions in court if violations are not corrected. The Act also preempts state and local laws regarding the assignment or use of these specific merchant category codes. Additionally, the Attorney General must submit an annual report to Congress regarding investigations and the effectiveness of the Act.

Yes· 3 of 4

  • Scored +6

    Does this protect the right to own guns?

    The bill protects the privacy of firearms transactions which supports the ability to conduct lawful gun commerce.

  • Scored +5

    Would business owners be better off under this?

    Firearms retailers are protected from being uniquely identified by their merchant category codes.

  • Scored +5

    Does this make it easier to run a small business?

    The bill protects firearms retailers from being singled out by payment card networks through specific merchant category codes.

The opposite

  • Scored -7

    Does this leave more decisions to the states?

    The bill preempts state and local laws that regulate the assignment or use of merchant category codes for firearms retailers.

What Congress actually voted on

2 recorded votes have been taken on this bill. One of them decided something; the rest moved it along.

  • The House: the vote on whether to pass the bill This is the real decision in this chamber. Passing here sends the bill to the other chamber, which must pass it too before it can go to the President. Passed 221 yes · 201 no

    See who voted how →

    07/14/2026 · Roll call 240 · recorded as “On Passage”