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HR 1181
Passed House Re-checks Congress.gov for new actions and updates the bill's status, and fills in any sponsors, committees, or related bills that are missing. It does not re-pull sponsors/cosponsors/committees/related — those rarely change — and it skips all work if nothing has changed upstream, so it's cheap to click.

Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act

Introduced Feb 11, 2025

Latest action (Jul 15, 2026) Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Referred to
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Financial Services Committee
Policy area
Finance and Financial Sector
Issues
Civil RightsTechnology & Privacy
Legislative subjects (5)
Banking and financial institutions regulationConsumer affairsFirearms and explosivesRetail and wholesale tradesRight of privacy

Summary
  • Prohibits payment card networks from requiring firearms retailers to use merchant category codes that identify them as firearms retailers.
  • Prohibits payment card networks and covered entities from assigning merchant category codes that are used only or primarily for firearms retailers.
  • Directs the Attorney General to establish a complaint process and investigate alleged violations within 90 days of enactment.
  • Authorizes the Attorney General to require violators to remedy violations within 30 days of notice and to seek federal court injunctions for non-compliance.
  • Preempts state and local laws regulating merchant category codes for firearms retailers, with exceptions for fraud prevention and cybersecurity compliance.
  • Requires the Attorney General to submit annual reports to Congress on investigations and the effectiveness of the law.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)
132 cosponsors

Actions (23)
  1. Jul 15, 2026 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. · senate
  2. Jul 14, 2026 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. · house
  3. Jul 14, 2026 On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 221 - 201 (Roll no. 240). (text: CR H4441-4442) · house
  4. Jul 14, 2026 Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 221 - 201 (Roll no. 240).
  5. Jul 14, 2026 On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 208 - 217 (Roll no. 239). · house
  6. Jul 14, 2026 Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4451-4452) · house
  7. Jul 14, 2026 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 1181 the Chair put the question on the motion to recommit and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mr. Frost demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced. · house
  8. Jul 14, 2026 The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX. · house
  9. Jul 14, 2026 Mr. Frost moved to recommit to the Committee on Financial Services. (CR H4445) · house
  10. Jul 14, 2026 The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. · house
  11. Jul 14, 2026 DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 1181. · house
  12. Jul 14, 2026 Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 139, H.R. 8595, H.R. 9237 and H.R. 1181. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 139, H.R. 9237, and H.R. 1181 under a closed rule, and H.R. 8595 under a structured rule with one hour of debate and one motion to reconsider on each bill. · house
  13. Jul 14, 2026 Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1423. (consideration: CR H4441-4445) · house
  14. Jul 14, 2026 Rule H. Res. 1423 passed House. · house
  15. Jul 13, 2026 Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1423 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 139, H.R. 8595, H.R. 9237 and H.R. 1181. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 139, H.R. 9237, and H.R. 1181 under a closed rule, and H.R. 8595 under a structured rule with one hour of debate and one motion to reconsider on each bill. · house
  16. Jun 23, 2026 Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1377 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1181, H.R. 9022, H.R. 8595 and H.R. 9237. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 1181 and H.R. 9237 under a closed rule and H.R. 9022 and H.R. 8595 under a structured rule. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each bill. · house
  17. Feb 25, 2026 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 447. · house
  18. Feb 25, 2026 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Financial Services. H. Rept. 119-522. · house
  19. Dec 17, 2025 Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 29 - 23. · house
  20. Dec 17, 2025 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
  21. Dec 16, 2025 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
  22. Feb 11, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. · house
  23. Feb 11, 2025 Introduced in House

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Roll-call votes (2)

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More bills on these subjects (8)

Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).

  • HR 1566 — REPAIR Act (shares 3 subjects)
  • S 4638 — National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (shares 3 subjects)
  • S 289 — Youth Poisoning Protection Act (shares 2 subjects)
  • HR 9770 — Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027 (shares 2 subjects)
  • HR 7757 — KIDS Act (shares 2 subjects)
  • S 1092 — WIPPES Act (shares 2 subjects)
  • HR 7148 — Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (shares 2 subjects)
  • HR 7006 — Financial Services and General Government and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026 (shares 2 subjects)

Similar bills (6)

Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.

  • HR 7133 — Merchant Codes Can Save Lives Act · Introduced Jan 16, 2026 · Cong. 119 81%
  • S 1715 — Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act · Introduced May 12, 2025 · Cong. 119 77%
  • HR 1224 — Protecting the Second Amendment in Financial Services Act · Introduced Feb 12, 2025 · Cong. 119 75%
  • HR 7827 — Stop Militarizing Our Streets Act of 2026 · Introduced Mar 5, 2026 · Cong. 119 70%
  • HRES 1377 — Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1181) to prohibit payment card networks and covered entities from requiring the use of or assigning merchant category codes that distinguish a firearms retailer from general-merchandise retailer or sporting-goods retailer, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 9022) making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8595) making appropriations for national security, Department of State, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 9237) to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, and other Federal laws, to improve benefits for veterans and the administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs. · Introduced Jul 13, 2026 · Cong. 119 69%
  • HRES 1423 — Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 139) to make daylight savings time permanent, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8595) making appropriations for national security, Department of State, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 9237) to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, and other Federal laws, to improve benefits for veterans and the administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1181) to prohibit payment card networks and covered entities from requiring the use of or assigning merchant category codes that distinguish a firearms retailer from general-merchandise retailer or sporting-goods retailer, and for other purposes; and for other purposes. · Passed House Jul 14, 2026 · Cong. 119 68%

Text versions (4)
  • Referred in Senate · Jul 15, 2026
  • Engrossed in House · Jul 14, 2026
  • Reported in House · Feb 25, 2026
  • Introduced in House · Feb 11, 2025

Committee action

What happened to this bill in committee — the meetings where it was considered and every recorded vote taken on it.

Meetings where this bill was on the agenda

Full text

AN ACT

To prohibit payment card networks and covered entities from requiring the use of or assigning merchant category codes that distinguish a firearms retailer from general-merchandise retailer or sporting-goods retailer, and for other purposes.

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 “Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act”.

SEC. 2. DISTINGUISHING FIREARM RETAILERS PROHIBITED.

(a) Prohibitions Relating to Merchant Category Codes.—

(1) For payment card networks.—A payment card network may not require—

(A) a firearms retailer to use a merchant category code that—

(i) is used only or primarily for firearms retailers; or

(ii) identifies such retailer as engaged in the business of selling firearms, ammunition, accessories of firearms, or components of firearms; or

(B) a covered entity to assign a merchant category code that is used only or primarily for firearms retailers or that identifies a firearms retailer as engaged in the business of selling firearms.

(2) For covered entities.—A covered entity may not assign to a firearms retailer any merchant category code that is used only or primarily for firearms retailers or that identifies such retailer as engaged in the business of selling firearms, ammunition, accessories of firearms, or components of firearms.

(b) Enforcement.—

(1) In general.—The Attorney General shall enforce this section and shall, not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section, establish a process for individuals, including firearms retailers, to submit complaints relating to alleged violations of this section.

(2) Investigation.—The Attorney General shall investigate any complaint received through the processes established by the Attorney General under paragraph (1).

(3) Written notice.—If the Attorney General determines, after conducting an investigation under paragraph (2), that a payment card network or covered entity has violated this section, the Attorney General shall send a written notice of such violation to such payment card network or covered entity that requires the payment card network or covered entity to remedy the violation not later than 30 days after the date on which the payment card network or covered entity receives such notice.

(4) Injunction.—

(A) In general.—If a payment card network or covered entity does not remedy a violation within 30 days of receiving a written notice under paragraph (3), the Attorney General may bring an action in Federal court to enjoin the violating behavior.

(B) No private right of action.—This Act does not create a private right of action.

(c) Preemption.—

(1) In general.—Any law of a State or local government regulating the assignment, use, or disclosure of merchant category codes that are used only or primarily for firearms retailers or that identifies a retailer as engaged in the business of selling firearms, ammunition, accessories of firearms, or components of firearms is hereby preempted.

(2) Limitation.—Notwithstanding paragraph (1), nothing in this Act may be construed to prevent a payment card network or a covered entity from complying with any Federal, State, or local law or regulations related to dispute processing, fraud, compliance management, or protecting transaction integrity from concerns related to illegal or suspicious activities, data breaches, or cyber risks.

(d) Report.—The Attorney General shall, each year, submit a report to the Congress that—

(1) identifies the number of investigations undertaken by the Attorney General under subsection (b);

(2) includes a summary of such investigations and their disposition; and

(3) provides any available data and analysis that relates to the effectiveness of this Act.

(e) Definitions.—In this Act:

(1) Ammunition.—The term “ammunition” has the meaning given the term in section 921(a)(17)(A) of title 18, United States Code.

(2) Covered entity.—The term “covered entity” means any entity that—

(A) has on the date of the enactment of this section, or establishes after the date of the enactment of this section, a relationship with a merchant for the purposes of processing credit, debit, or prepaid transactions; or

(B) has on the date of the enactment of this section, or establishes after the date of the enactment of this section, a relationship with an entity that establishes a relationship with a merchant for the purposes of processing credit transactions, debit transactions, or prepaid transactions.

(3) Firearm.—The term “firearm” means—

(A) a “firearm” as such term is defined in section 921(a)(3) of title 18, United States Code;

(B) a “shotgun” as such term is defined in section 921(a)(5) of title 18, United States Code;

(C) a “rifle” as such term is defined in section 921(a)(7) of title 18, United States Code;

(D) an “antique firearm” as such term is defined in section 921(a)(16) of title 18, United States Code;

(E) a “semiautomatic rifle” as such term is defined in section 921(a)(29) of title 18, United States Code; and

(F) a “handgun” as such term is defined in section 921(a)(30) of title 18, United States Code.

(4) Firearms retailer.—The term “firearms retailer” means a person, entity, or retail location physically located in the United States that is engaged in the business of selling or trading—

(A) firearms;

(B) ammunition;

(C) accessories of firearms; or

(D) components of firearms.

(5) Merchant category code.—The term “merchant category code” means a multi-digit code, issued by the International Organization for Standardization, for the purposes of enabling the classification of merchants into specific categories based on the type of business, trade, or services supplied.

(6) Payment card network.—The term “payment card network” means an entity that directly or through a network participant, processor, or agent provides proprietary services, infrastructure, software, or hardware used to authorize, clear and settle credit, debit, or prepaid transactions.

Passed the House of Representatives July 14, 2026.

Attest:

Clerk. 119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 1181

AN ACT

To prohibit payment card networks and covered entities from requiring the use of or assigning merchant category codes that distinguish a firearms retailer from general-merchandise retailer or sporting-goods retailer, and for other purposes.

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