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S. 3212

U.S. Senate•In Senate Committee

Summary

S. 3212, the AIM Act, was introduced in the Senate on Nov 19, 2025 by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D). It was referred to Judiciary, and last saw action on Nov 19, 2025: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Record

Text

S. 3212 has no co-sponsors and has not gone to a roll call.

sb3212/introduced-in-senate.txt
113 S3212 IS: ATF Improvement and Modernization Act of 2025
 U.S. Senate
 2025-11-19
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 II  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  S. 3212  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   November 19, 2025   Mr. Van Hollen  introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on the Judiciary    A BILL
To remove obstacles to the ability of law enforcement officers to enforce gun safety laws, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   ATF Improvement and Modernization Act of 2025   or the   AIM Act  .
2.
Elimination of limitations relating to firearms trace data
(a)
Tiahrt amendments
(1)
Fiscal year
2012
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 ( 18 U.S.C. 923  note;  Public Law 112–55 ; 125 Stat. 609) is amended by striking the sixth proviso.
(2)
Fiscal year
2010
The sixth proviso under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 ( 18 U.S.C. 923  note;  Public Law 111–117 ; 123 Stat. 3128) is amended by striking  beginning in fiscal year 2010 and thereafter  and inserting  in fiscal year 2010 .
(3)
Fiscal year
2009
The sixth proviso under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 ( 18 U.S.C. 923  note;  Public Law 111–8 ; 123 Stat. 575) is amended by striking  beginning in fiscal year 2009 and thereafter  and inserting  in fiscal year 2009 .
(4)
Fiscal year
2008
The sixth proviso under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 ( 18 U.S.C. 923  note;  Public Law 110–161 ; 121 Stat. 1903) is amended by striking  beginning in fiscal year 2008 and thereafter  and inserting  in fiscal year 2008 .
(5)
Fiscal year
2006
The sixth proviso under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title I of the Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 ( 18 U.S.C. 923  note;  Public Law 109–108 ; 119 Stat. 2295) is amended by striking  under this or any other Act with respect to any fiscal year  and inserting  under this Act .
(6)
Fiscal year
2005
The sixth proviso under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title I of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 ( 18 U.S.C. 923  note;  Public Law 108–447 ; 118 Stat. 2859) is amended by striking  under this or any other Act with respect to any fiscal year  and inserting  under this Act .
(b)
Prohibition on use of firearms trace data To draw broad conclusions about firearms-Related crime
Section 514 of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 ( 18 U.S.C. 923  note;  Public Law 113–6 ; 127 Stat. 271) is repealed.
3.
Elimination of prohibition on consolidation or centralization in the Department of Justice of firearms acquisition and disposition records maintained by Federal firearms licensees
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 ( 18 U.S.C. 923  note;  Public Law 112–55 ; 125 Stat. 609) is amended by striking the first proviso.
4.
Elimination of prohibition on imposition of requirement that firearms dealers conduct physical check of firearms inventory
(a)
Fiscal year
2013
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 ( 18 U.S.C. 923  note;  Public Law 113–6 ; 127 Stat. 247) is amended by striking the fifth proviso.
(b)
Fiscal year
2012
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 ( Public Law 112–55 ; 125 Stat. 609) is amended by striking  :  Provided further , That no funds made available by this or any other Act shall be expended to promulgate or implement any rule requiring a physical inventory of any business licensed under section 923 of title 18, United States Code .
(c)
Fiscal year
2010
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2010 ( Public Law 111–117 ; 123 Stat. 3128) is amended by striking the seventh proviso.
(d)
Fiscal year
2009
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 ( Public Law 111–8 ; 123 Stat. 574) is amended by striking the seventh proviso.
(e)
Fiscal year
2008
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 ( Public Law 110–161 ; 121 Stat. 1903) is amended by striking the seventh proviso.
(f)
Fiscal year
2006
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title I of the Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 ( Public Law 109–108 ; 119 Stat. 2295) is amended by striking the seventh proviso.
(g)
Fiscal year
2005
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title I of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 ( Public Law 108–447 ; 118 Stat. 2859) is amended by striking the seventh proviso.
(h)
Fiscal year
2004
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title I of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 ( Public Law 108–199 ; 118 Stat. 52) is amended by striking the seventh proviso.
5.
Elimination of requirement that instant check records be destroyed within 24 hours
(a)
Fiscal year
2012
Section 511 of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 ( 34 U.S.C. 40901  note;  Public Law 112–55 ; 125 Stat. 632) is amended—
(1)
by striking  —  and all that follows through  (1) ; and
(2)
by striking the semicolon and all that follows and inserting a period.
(b)
Fiscal year
2010
Section 511 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 ( Public Law 111–117 ; 123 Stat. 3151) is amended—
(1)
by striking  —  and all that follows through  (1) ; and
(2)
by striking the semicolon and all that follows and inserting a period.
(c)
Fiscal year
2009
Section 511 of division B of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 ( Public Law 111–8 ; 123 Stat. 596) is amended—
(1)
by striking  —  and all that follows through  (1) ; and
(2)
by striking the semicolon and all that follows and inserting a period.
(d)
Fiscal year
2008
Section 512 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 ( Public Law 110–161 ; 121 Stat. 1926) is amended—
(1)
by striking  —  and all that follows through  (1) ; and
(2)
by striking the semicolon and all that follows and inserting a period.
(e)
Fiscal year
2006
Section 611 of the Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 ( Public Law 119–108 ; 119 Stat. 2336) is amended—
(1)
by striking  —  and all that follows through  (1) ; and
(2)
by striking the semicolon and all that follows and inserting a period.
(f)
Fiscal year
2005
Section 615 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 ( Public Law 108–447 ; 118 Stat. 2915) is amended—
(1)
by striking  —  and all that follows through  (1) ; and
(2)
by striking the semicolon and all that follows and inserting a period.
(g)
Fiscal year
2004
Section 617 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 ( Public Law 108–199 ; 118 Stat. 95) is amended—
(1)
by striking  (a) ;
(2)
by striking  —  and all that follows through  (1) ; and
(3)
by striking the semicolon and all that follows and inserting a period.
6.
Elimination of prohibition on processing of Freedom of Information Act requests about arson or explosives incidents or firearm traces
Section 644 of division J of the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 ( 5 U.S.C. 552  note;  Public Law 108–7 ; 117 Stat. 473) is repealed.
7.
Elimination of prohibitions relating to  curios or relics  and importation of surplus military firearms
(a)
Fiscal year
2023
Section 535 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 ( Public Law 117–328 ) is repealed.
(b)
Fiscal year
2022
Section 536 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 ( Public Law 117–103 ; 136 Stat. 152) is repealed.
(c)
Fiscal year
2020
Section 538 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 ( Public Law 116–93 ; 133 Stat. 2433) is repealed.
(d)
Fiscal year
2019
Section 517 of division C of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 ( Public Law 116–6 ; 133 Stat. 133) is repealed.
(e)
Fiscal year
2013
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 ( 18 U.S.C. 921  note;  Public Law 113–6 ; 127 Stat. 247) is amended by striking the first proviso.
8.
Elimination of prohibition on denial of Federal firearms license due to lack of business activity
(a)
Fiscal year
2013
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 ( 18 U.S.C. 923  note;  Public Law 113–6 ; 127 Stat. 247) is amended by striking  :  Provided further , That, in the current fiscal year and any fiscal year thereafter, no funds authorized or made available under this or any other Act may be used to deny any application for a license  and all that follows through  Internal Revenue Code of 1986 .
(b)
Fiscal year
2012
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 ( Public Law 112–55 ; 125 Stat. 609) is amended by striking  :  Provided further , That no funds authorized or made available under this or any other Act may be used to deny any application for a license  and all that follows through  Internal Revenue Code of 1986 .
(c)
Fiscal year
2010
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2010 ( Public Law 111–117 ; 123 Stat. 3128) is amended by striking  :  Provided further , That no funds authorized or made available under this or any other Act may be used to deny any application for a license  and all that follows through  Internal Revenue Code of 1986 .
(d)
Fiscal year
2009
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 ( Public Law 111–8 ; 123 Stat. 574) is amended by striking  :  Provided further , That no funds authorized or made available under this or any other Act may be used to deny any application for a license  and all that follows through  Internal Revenue Code of 1986 .
(e)
Fiscal year
2008
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 ( Public Law 110–161 ; 121 Stat. 1903) is amended by striking  :  Provided further , That no funds authorized or made available under this or any other Act may be used to deny any application for a license  and all that follows through  Internal Revenue Code of 1986 .
(f)
Fiscal year
2006
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title I of the Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 ( Public Law 109–108 ; 119 Stat. 2295) is amended by striking  :  Provided further , That no funds authorized or made available under this or any other Act may be used to deny any application for a license  and all that follows through  Internal Revenue Code of 1986 .
(g)
Fiscal year
2005
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title I of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 ( Public Law 108–447 ; 118 Stat. 2859) is amended by striking  :  Provided further , That no funds authorized or made available under this or any other Act may be used to deny any application for a license  and all that follows through  Internal Revenue Code of 1986 .
9.
Elimination of prohibition on searching computerized records of federally licensed firearms dealers who are out of business
The matter under the heading
Salaries and Expenses   under the heading
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives   in title II of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 ( 18 U.S.C. 923  note;  Public Law 112–55 ; 125 Stat. 610) is amended by striking  :  Provided further , That, hereafter, no funds made available by this or any other Act may be used to electronically retrieve information gathered pursuant to  18 U.S.C. 923(g)(4)  by name or any personal identification code .
10.
Elimination of prohibition on denying, or failing to act on, application to import certain shotgun models on the basis that the shotgun was not particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes
(a)
Fiscal year
2023
Section 536 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 ( Public Law 117–328 ) is repealed.
(b)
Fiscal year
2022
Section 537 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 ( Public Law 117–103 ; 136 Stat. 152) is repealed.
(c)
Fiscal year
2020
Section 539 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 ( Public Law 116–93 ; 133 Stat. 2433) is repealed.
(d)
Fiscal year
2019
Section 531 of division C of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 ( Public Law 116–6 ; 133 Stat. 137) is repealed.
11.
Elimination of limits on frequency of record-keeping inspections of inventory and records of Federal firearms licensees
Section 923(g)(1)(B)(ii) of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(ii)
for ensuring compliance with the record keeping requirements of this chapter; or
 .
12.
Revising standard for Federal firearm license revocation from willful violation to knowing violation
(a)
In general
Section 923(e) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking  willfully  each place the term appears and inserting  knowingly .
(b)
Technical amendment
The third sentence of section 923(e) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking  Secretary’s  and inserting  Attorney General’s .
13.
Elimination of de novo review and of opportunity to rely on evidence not previously considered
Section 923(f)(3) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in the second sentence, by striking  de novo ; and
(2)
in the third sentence, by striking  any evidence submitted by the parties to the proceeding whether or not such evidence  and inserting  only evidence that .
14.
Revising standards for eligibility of Federal firearms licensees
Section 923(d)(1) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking  willfully  each place the term appears and inserting  knowingly .

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-11-19
  2. Passed Senate
  3. Passed House
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Introduced in Senate Nov 19, 2025

sb3212/introduced-in-senate.md

Shown Here:
Introduced in Senate (11/19/2025)

ATF Improvement and Modernization Act of 2025 or the AIM Act

This bill removes limitations on the authority of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to conduct activities related to the administration of federal firearms laws.

Specifically, the bill removes provisions that

  • limit the use of firearms tracing data;
  • prohibit consolidating or centralizing records maintained by federal firearm licensees, or FFLs (e.g., gun dealers);
  • prohibit imposing a requirement that gun dealers conduct a physical inventory;
  • require background check records to be destroyed within 24 hours;
  • limit the disclosure of data under the Freedom of Information Act;
  • prohibit the ATF from altering the definition of or denying certain import applications for a curio or relic firearm;
  • prohibit the denial of a federal firearms license due to lack of business activity;
  • prohibit the electronic retrieval of information gathered from firearm transaction records of FFLs that go out of business;
  • prohibit the ATF from denying an application to import certain shotguns; and
  • limit the number of annual compliance inspections.

Additionally, the bill

  • lowers the standard for denying or revoking a federal firearms license due to violations of federal firearms laws by requiring only a knowing violation rather than a willful violation, and
  • removes the requirement that an appeal of a denial or revocation of a federal firearms license shall be subject to the de novo standard of judicial review (i.e., without deference to the agency determination).

Sponsors

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) sponsors S. 3212 alone.

Committees

S. 3212 went before 1 committee: Judiciary.

Judiciary
Judiciary
Referred To · Nov 19, 2025

Actions

S. 3212 has taken 2 actions since Nov 19, 2025.

ChamberAction
Nov 19, 2025
Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.Judiciary Committee
Nov 19, 2025
—
Introduced in Senate

Votes

S. 3212 has not gone to a roll call.

1 bill is related to S. 3212, as Identical bill.

Titles

S. 3212 goes by 4 titles, 2 of them short titles.

  • AIM Act — Display Title
  • AIM Act — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • ATF Improvement and Modernization Act of 2025 — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • A bill to remove obstacles to the ability of law enforcement officers to enforce gun safety laws, and for other purposes. — Official Title as Introduced

Lobbying

2 clients hired 2 firms and 8 registered lobbyists who named S. 3212 in 4 quarterly filings, 2025 to 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Firearms/Guns/Ammunition, Civil Rights/Civil Liberties, District of Columbia, Government Issues.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.

ClientBusinessStateFirmsFilingsReported
BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE—District of Columbia13—
GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA INC—Virginia11—

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

RegistrantClientsFilingsReported
BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE13—
GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA, INC.11—

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill.

LobbyistFirmsClientsFilings
CATHERINE MOUER113
MARK COLLINS113
TARANEH SCHARDT113
AIDAN JOHNSTON111
BENJAMIN SANDERSON111
ERICH PRATT111
JEAN PICHARDO111
JOHN VELLECO111

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

ClientRegistrantPeriodReportedDocument
GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA INCGUN OWNERS OF AMERICA, INC.2025 fourth_quarter$545.7K4th Quarter - Report
BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCEBRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE2026 second_quarter$40K2nd Quarter - Report
BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCEBRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE2026 first_quarter$40K1st Quarter - Report
BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCEBRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE2025 fourth_quarter$40K4th Quarter - Report

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files S. 3212 under Crime and Law Enforcement, one of its 31 policy areas.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; S. 3212’s is Crime and Law Enforcement.

s3212/policy-areas.txt
Crime and Law EnforcementAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHealthHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com