Bill Details
View committees (1)
View cosponsors (11)
- Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-West Virginia]
- Sen. Risch, James E. [R-Idaho]
- Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-North Dakota]
- Sen. Hoeven, John [R-North Dakota]
- Sen. Scott, Rick [R-Florida]
- Sen. Justice, James C. [R-West Virginia]
- Sen. Budd, Ted [R-North Carolina]
- Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-Mississippi]
- Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-Texas]
- Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-Wyoming]
- Sen. McCormick, David [R-Pennsylvania]
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would change federal gun laws so that spouses of active-duty military members are treated more like the service members themselves when it comes to getting firearms and ammunition at a duty station. In simple terms, if a service member can receive a firearm under current law, the spouse would also have the same right. The bill also says military spouses should be counted as residents in the same way as active-duty members for federal firearms rules, which could make it easier for them to buy or receive firearms while moving with the military.
- It extends a current exception in federal law to cover the spouse of an active-duty Armed Forces member at a duty station outside the United States.
- It changes the residency rules for federal firearms laws so that a military spouse is treated the same way as the service member for residency purposes.
- For these rules, a spouse could be considered a resident of the state where they legally live, the state where the service member is stationed, or the state where the member lives and commutes from.
- The changes would take effect 180 days after the bill becomes law.
Official Summaries
Protect Our Military Families' 2nd Amendment Rights Act
This bill broadens the scope of allowable firearms transactions involving active-duty service members and their spouses.
Specifically, the bill allows a licensed gun dealer, importer, or manufacturer to sell or ship a firearm or ammunition to the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces on active duty outside the United States. Current law already allows a licensed dealer, importer, or manufacturer to sell or ship a firearm or ammunition to a member of the Armed Forces on active duty outside the United States.
The bill also specifies that, for purposes of federal firearms laws, a member of the Armed Forces on active duty, or his or her spouse, is a resident of the state in which (1) the member or spouse maintains legal residence, (2) the permanent duty station of the member is located, and (3) the member maintains a home from which he or she commutes to the permanent duty station.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 961 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 961
To amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to provide that a
member of the Armed Forces and the spouse of that member shall have the
same rights regarding the receipt of firearms at the location of any
duty station of the member.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 11 (legislative day, March 10), 2025
Mr. Rounds (for himself, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Risch, Mr. Cramer, Mr.
Hoeven, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Justice, Mr. Budd, Mrs. Hyde-Smith,
and Mr. Cruz) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to provide that a
member of the Armed Forces and the spouse of that member shall have the
same rights regarding the receipt of firearms at the location of any
duty station of the member.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protect Our Military Families' 2nd
Amendment Rights Act''.
SEC. 2. RECEIPT OF FIREARM OR AMMUNITION BY SPOUSE OF MEMBER OF THE
ARMED FORCES AT A DUTY STATION OF THE MEMBER OUTSIDE THE
UNITED STATES.
Section 925(a)(3) of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by inserting ``or to the spouse of such a member''
before ``or to'';
(2) by striking ``members,'' and inserting ``members and
spouses,'';
(3) by striking ``members or'' and inserting ``members,
spouses, or''; and
(4) by striking ``member or'' and inserting ``member,
spouse, or''.
SEC. 3. RESIDENCY OF SPOUSES OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES TO BE
DETERMINED ON THE SAME BASIS AS THE RESIDENCY OF SUCH
MEMBERS FOR PURPOSES OF FEDERAL FIREARMS LAWS.
Section 921(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read
as follows:
``(b) For purposes of this chapter, a member of the Armed Forces on
active duty, or a spouse of such a member, is a resident of--
``(1) the State in which the member or spouse maintains
legal residence;
``(2) the State in which the permanent duty station of the
member is located; and
``(3) the State in which the member maintains a place of
abode from which the member commutes each day to the permanent
duty station of the member.''.
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply to conduct engaged in
after the date that is 180 days after the date of enactment of this
Act.
<all>