Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. — July 14, 2026…Today, Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) voted in support of H.R. 1181, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act. He is an original cosponsor of the bill, which prohibits credit card companies and other entities from implementing Merchant Category Codes that distinguish a firearms retailer from general merchandise or sporting goods retailers.

Congressman Womack said, “The right to bear arms is a fundamental freedom for every law-abiding American. The use of Merchant Category Codes to unconstitutionally track firearm purchases remains a radical, left-wing endeavor by anti-Second Amendment activists. I am proud to build on the work of Arkansas Governor Sanders at the federal level to protect the financial privacy and Second Amendment rights of all Americans.” 

Background:

• Credit card companies and other financial institutions use Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) to organize businesses by the types of goods or services purchased. These MCCS are set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• In 2022, the ISO created a new code specifically for gun retailers. This policy has raised concerns that specific firearm MCCs can be used to track law-abiding Americans exercising their constitutional rights.
• Since the creation of this code, states like California and New York have mandated the use of MCCs for firearm retailers while several other states have banned the use, including Arkansas.

The bill text is available HERE.

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

womack.house.gov

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