HB2368, titled the “Raise the Age Act of 2025,” would amend federal firearms law to restrict Federal Firearms Licensees from selling or delivering certain semiautomatic centerfire rifles and semiautomatic centerfire shotguns to people under 21. The restriction applies to rifles or shotguns that can accept an ammunition feeding device with a capacity exceeding five rounds. The bill includes exceptions for active-duty members of the Armed Forces and full-time law enforcement officers, who are defined as “qualified individuals.”
The bill also revises the federal firearms purchaser certification language to align with the new age restrictions and adds definitions for “qualified individual” and “ammunition feeding device.” In addition, it directs the FBI Director to submit a report within 90 days on the operation of the FBI’s public access line, including how information is shared with FBI field offices and recommendations for improving that process.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would change Title 18 of the U.S. Code, specifically sections 922 and 921, by creating a new federal age-based sales restriction for certain semiautomatic centerfire long guns and by updating related purchaser certification requirements. It would affect federally licensed firearms dealers, prospective buyers ages 18 to 20, active-duty military personnel, and full-time law enforcement officers, while leaving existing federal rules for other firearms categories in place. The bill would also impose a reporting requirement on the FBI regarding its public access line operations.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears to be a Democratic-led gun safety measure with broad sponsor support among House Democrats. The overall sentiment reflected in the filing is preventive and regulatory, aiming to raise the minimum age for certain firearm purchases and to improve federal information-sharing. No opposing arguments or recorded vote totals are included in the provided context.
Contention
The main point of contention is the proposed age limit for purchasing certain semiautomatic centerfire rifles and shotguns, which would bar sales to adults aged 18 to 20 unless they are active-duty military or full-time law enforcement. Supporters are likely to frame the bill as a public safety and gun violence prevention measure, while critics would likely object to restricting firearm access for legal adults and to the scope of the magazine-capacity-based definition. The FBI reporting requirement is comparatively less controversial, but it adds an administrative oversight component to the bill.