The ARMAS Act of 2023 would transfer control of firearm and ammunition exports from the Department of Commerce back to the Department of State within one year of enactment. The bill aims to address what Congress describes as a significant problem of U.S.-origin firearms being illegally trafficked to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, where they fuel violence and organized crime. The legislation requires the State Department to designate specific countries in the Western Hemisphere as "covered countries" and establishes new certification and monitoring requirements for munitions exports to these nations, including end-use monitoring and serial number registration programs. The bill mandates multiple reports to Congress within 180 days of enactment and annually thereafter, documenting export license approvals and denials, while also requiring an interagency strategy to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking. Additionally, the legislation prohibits the Commerce Department from promoting firearm exports and establishes a 15 to 30-day congressional review period for certain munitions licenses, during which Congress could block proposed exports through joint resolution.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.