U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi and Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona have reintroduced the Gun-owner Registration Information Protection (GRIP) Act, a bill intended to prevent states and localities from using federal funding or background check data to maintain gun registries.
The legislation aims to clarify that existing law prohibits state and local governments from using federal resources to store personal information about legal firearm ownership. Current regulations already stop the federal government from keeping such records obtained through background checks.
Senator Hyde-Smith said, “The Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens remain imperiled as Democrats and anti-gun activists lean into government overreach. The GRIP Act is needed to clarify that states and localities cannot use federal funds or data to keep gun registries that can lead to infringing on a constitutional right.”
Representative Gosar stated, “The Second Amendment is not a second-class right. The GRIP Act safeguards constitutional freedoms and protects the privacy of millions of law-abiding Americans.”
If passed, the GRIP Act would ensure that no federal grant money—such as funds from the National Criminal History Improvement Program, NICS Amendment Records Improvement Program, or Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program—could be used by states or local entities to create or maintain gun registries. However, it does not affect recordkeeping for permitting processes, law enforcement-issued firearms, or tracking lost or stolen guns.
Original cosponsors in the Senate include Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), James Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). In the House, Representatives Mike Ezell and Michael Guest of Mississippi are among 75 original cosponsors for the companion bill.
The measure has received endorsements from organizations including the National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Lawrence G. Keane, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at NSSF said: “This is much-needed legislation to protect the privacy of those who choose to lawfully exercise their Second Amendment rights when they purchase a firearm at retail. The GRIP Act will ensure federal funds aren’t available to create and maintain state government watchlists that are ripe for privacy abuse by malevolent actors, much the same way private banking information was illegally abused by government authorities in the previous administration,” adding appreciation for Senator Hyde-Smith’s leadership.
Senator Hyde-Smith has prioritized issues such as public safety and Second Amendment rights during her tenure serving Mississippi constituents. Her office maintains locations both in Washington, D.C., and across Mississippi—including Ridgeland, Gulfport, and Oxford—and she holds assignments on several Senate committees such as Appropriations; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Energy and Natural Resources; and Rules and Administration. She is also recognized as the first woman elected to represent Mississippi in Congress according to her official website.
A summary of the GRIP Act is available online.
