Congress moves to slow handgun sales with 3-day waiting period
H.R. 4688 — COOL OFF Act · Filed by Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) · 24 cosponsors · Introduced Jul 23, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill requires a 3-business-day waiting period before a person can receive a handgun, whether from a licensed dealer or a private seller. The waiting period does not apply to law enforcement, armed security professionals, military members acting in their official capacity, family transfers for lawful purposes, emergency transfers to prevent imminent harm, or temporary transfers at shooting ranges or while hunting.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a uniform procedural delay on handgun transfers designed to reduce impulsive violence and suicide. It is a straightforward public-health intervention with narrow, well-defined exceptions for legitimate uses.
What the text implies
- The 3-business-day waiting period may disproportionately affect individuals in rural areas or those with limited access to firearms dealers, as the delay compounds travel time and scheduling constraints.
- The exception for temporary transfers 'in the presence of the transferor' may create enforcement ambiguity — determining whether a transfer was truly temporary and supervised could lead to inconsistent prosecution.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who it affects
The bill imposes a modest procedural delay on handgun acquisition that research suggests may reduce impulsive violence and suicide. The exceptions preserve legitimate uses (family transfers, emergency protection, lawful sporting activities) while the waiting period applies broadly to both licensed and unlicensed transfers, creating a uniform safety checkpoint without categorical exemptions for convenience.