U.S. House Passes Bill to Stop Credit-Card Tracking of Gun Purchases

The U.S. House approved HR 1181, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act, which would bar payment‑card networks from requiring merchant category codes that identify firearm retailers. The Department of Justice would enforce the law. Representative Mary Miller praised the measure as a safeguard for Second Amendment rights and financial privacy. John Boch, executive director of the advocacy group Guns Save Life, supported the proposal but described it as largely symbolic and doubted it will clear the Senate, citing Democratic opposition and the 60‑vote threshold needed for passage. Opponents argue that the merchant codes help detect suspicious purchasing patterns, while supporters contend they enable tracking and discrimination against lawful gun buyers.