Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act of 2025
This bill requires various federal agencies to continue certain operations, functions, and services related to firearms during a government shutdown.
The bill applies to
Under the bill, (1) these operations, functions, and services are deemed to relate to an emergency involving the safety of human life or the protection of property; and (2) employees carrying out the operations, functions, and services are deemed to be excepted employees. (Under an exception in the Antideficiency Act, an employee whose duties involve the safety of human life or the protection of property may be required to work during a government shutdown. Employees who are required to work during a government shutdown because they fall under this or other exceptions are known as excepted employees.)
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3085 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3085
To ensure that certain operations, functions, and services of the
Federal Government relating to enforcement of firearms laws and firearm
export licensing continue during a lapse in appropriations.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 30, 2025
Mr. Risch (for himself, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Crapo, Mr.
Daines, Mr. Lankford, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Justice, Mr. Sheehy, and Mr.
Ricketts) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To ensure that certain operations, functions, and services of the
Federal Government relating to enforcement of firearms laws and firearm
export licensing continue during a lapse in appropriations.
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 ``Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act
of 2025''.
SEC. 2. CONTINUATION OF CERTAIN FIREARM-RELATED OPERATIONS DURING
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS.
(a) In General.--The operations, functions, and services described
in subsection (b) shall be deemed to relate to an emergency involving
the safety of human life or the protection of property for purposes of
section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, and the employees
carrying out those operations, functions, and services shall be deemed
to be excepted employees, as defined in section 1341(c) of that title.
(b) Operations, Functions, and Services.--The operations,
functions, and services described in this subsection are the
operations, functions, and services of--
(1) the National Instant Criminal Background Check System
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including the
processing of background checks in support of the operations of
the Directorate of Enforcement Programs and Services of the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives;
(2) the Directorate of Enforcement Programs and Services of
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives;
(3) the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department
of Commerce relating to firearms and firearm-related products,
including activities related to processing of applications for
export licenses; and
(4) the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls of the
Department of State relating to firearms and firearm-related
products, including activities related to processing of
applications for export licenses.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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