Congress moves to kill all pending gun violence lawsuits overnight
H.R. 9298 — Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act · Filed by Derek Schmidt (R-KS) · 65 cosponsors · Introduced Jun 11, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill dramatically expands immunity for gun manufacturers and sellers from lawsuits by victims of gun violence. It dismisses all pending lawsuits immediately, redefines key legal terms to make it nearly impossible to sue (e.g., requiring plaintiffs prove the manufacturer was the direct cause of harm, not just negligent), and allows gun companies to remove cases to federal court where they are more likely to win. The primary beneficiaries are firearms manufacturers and dealers; the primary losers are people injured by guns and their families, who lose their right to seek damages in court.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to eliminate civil liability for gun manufacturers and sellers by expanding existing immunity, dismissing pending cases, and raising the legal bar for plaintiffs to near-impossibility. It is functionally a liability carve-out for one industry.
What the text implies
- Immediate dismissal of all pending lawsuits means families of shooting victims currently in litigation lose their cases overnight, with no opportunity to present evidence or settle.
- The redefinition of 'proximate cause' to require direct injury by the defendant's unlawful conduct eliminates negligent entrustment and negligence claims—even if a seller knowingly sold to a dangerous person, the victim cannot sue.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
firearms manufacturers; gun dealers and importers; ammunition manufacturers and sellers