PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 25, 2021
Gun Records Restoration and Preservation Act
This bill amends several appropriations laws to remove limitations on the authority of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to conduct activities related to the administration of federal firearms laws.
Specifically, the bill removes provisions that
limit the use of firearms tracing data,
limit the disclosure of data under the Freedom of Information Act,
prohibit imposing a requirement that gun dealers conduct a physical inventory,
prohibit consolidating or centralizing records maintained by federal firearm licensees (e.g., gun dealers), and
require national instant criminal background check records to be destroyed within 24 hours.
People & committees
Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] · D–NJ
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze S.974 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
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