Congress moves to hide gun purchases from payment processors
S. 1715 — Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act · Filed by Bill Hagerty (R-TN) · 26 cosponsors · Introduced May 12, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill prohibits payment card networks and processors from assigning a special merchant category code (MCC) that distinguishes firearms retailers from general merchandise or sporting goods retailers. It bars the use of firearm-specific transaction tracking codes, effectively preventing payment processors from separately identifying gun and ammunition purchases. The bill empowers the Attorney General to investigate violations and sue to enforce compliance, but creates no private right of action for citizens to sue directly.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to prevent financial institutions from using merchant category codes that distinguish firearm sales from other retail categories. While framed as a privacy measure, it operationally restricts data classification and tracking capabilities that payment processors and regulators might use for compliance, fraud detection, or consumer protection purposes.
What the text implies
- Prevents payment processors from separately tracking firearm and ammunition purchases, which may impede fraud detection, money laundering investigations, and compliance with federal firearms regulations that rely on transaction data.
- Preemption of state and local laws removes local governments' ability to require transaction transparency or implement their own financial oversight of firearm sales, centralizing control at the federal level.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
payment card networks; payment processors; firearms retailers