{"format":1,"id":"119-hr-1181","congress":119,"number":"H.R. 1181","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"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.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"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."},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act"},{"type":"Official Title from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text","title":"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."},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2025-02-11","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2026-07-14","vote":{"id":"119-2026-h240","question":"On Passage","title":"Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act","result":"Passed","yea":221,"nay":201,"present":0,"not_voting":9,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2026/roll240.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"pending","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"not_yet","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.","date":"2026-07-15"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[{"chamber":"house","date":"2026-07-14","question":"On Motion to Recommit","title":"Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act","result":"Failed","yea":208,"nay":217,"present":0,"not_voting":6,"kind":"procedural","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2026/roll239.xml"}],"crs_summary":{"date":"2025-02-11","stage":"Introduced in House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill prohibits payment card networks from using merchant codes that distinguish firearms retailers from general-merchandise retailers or sporting-goods retailers."},{"k":"p","t":"The Department of Justice must enforce this bill and report annually on the resulting investigations and cases."}],"words":42},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Prohibits payment card networks and covered entities from requiring or assigning merchant category codes that distinguish firearms retailers, and directs the Attorney General to enforce the prohibition.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1181/text/eh#HDBCCD241FF3F4D02888AAC22BC4528D0"}]},"core_areas":["Merchant category codes for firearms retailers","Attorney General enforcement and annual reporting","Preemption of State and local merchant category code laws"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Bars a payment card network from requiring a firearms retailer to use a merchant category code used only or primarily for firearms retailers, or one that identifies the retailer as selling firearms, ammunition, accessories or components.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1181/text/eh#HDBCCD241FF3F4D02888AAC22BC4528D0"}},{"text":"Bars a covered entity from assigning to a firearms retailer a merchant category code used only or primarily for firearms retailers or one that identifies the retailer as engaged in selling firearms, ammunition, accessories or components.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1181/text/eh#HDBCCD241FF3F4D02888AAC22BC4528D0"}},{"text":"Requires the Attorney General to enforce the section, set up a complaint process within 90 days of enactment, and investigate each complaint received.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1181/text/eh#HDBCCD241FF3F4D02888AAC22BC4528D0"}},{"text":"Requires the Attorney General to send written notice of a violation requiring a remedy within 30 days, and allows a Federal court action to enjoin the behavior if it is not remedied; the Act creates no private right of action.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1181/text/eh#HDBCCD241FF3F4D02888AAC22BC4528D0"}},{"text":"Preempts State and local laws regulating the assignment, use or disclosure of firearms-specific merchant category codes, while allowing compliance with laws on dispute processing, fraud, compliance management, or transaction integrity.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1181/text/eh#HDBCCD241FF3F4D02888AAC22BC4528D0"}},{"text":"Requires the Attorney General to report to Congress each year on the number of investigations, a summary of them and their disposition, and any available data and analysis relating to the effectiveness of the Act.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1181/text/eh#HDBCCD241FF3F4D02888AAC22BC4528D0"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2026-07-14","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1181/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-01","approved_by":"desk"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1181","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1181/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/119-hr-1181.png","v":"a28559476a8a","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 1181, 119th Congress: Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act. House: 221 Yea, 201 Nay. Senate: not yet considered. Outcome: Passed House, 14 Jul 2026."}}