HB70, titled the “No SmartPay for Anti-2A Companies Act,” would bar the Administrator of General Services from awarding new SmartPay Program contracts for commercial payment systems that use a payment processing agency which has implemented a merchant category code for gun retailers. In practical terms, the bill targets federal purchasing card and payment services used by the government, conditioning eligibility for future contracts on whether the underlying payment processor has adopted a firearms-related merchant category code.
The bill is narrow in scope and does not void existing SmartPay contracts. Its prohibition applies only to contracts awarded after enactment, leaving prior awards in place. If enacted, it would affect the General Services Administration’s procurement decisions under SmartPay and could limit the pool of eligible payment system vendors that have adopted gun-retailer MCC policies.
Impact
HB70 would amend federal procurement policy for the SmartPay Program by restricting GSA from contracting with certain commercial payment systems tied to payment processors that use a merchant category code for gun retailers. The immediate legal effect would be on future SmartPay contract awards, not on existing agreements, and it would likely influence how payment processors and vendors structure their merchant category code policies if they want to remain eligible for federal business.
Sentiment
The bill appears to be strongly supportive of gun-rights positions and framed by its sponsors as a response to perceived discrimination against firearms-related businesses. Because there are no recorded committee transcripts or votes in the provided materials, there is no documented bipartisan debate or formal vote history to gauge broader legislative sentiment. The available context suggests the measure is politically motivated and aligned with opposition to merchant category code tracking for gun retailers.
Contention
The central point of contention is the use of merchant category codes for gun retailers, which supporters of the bill view as an anti-gun or anti-Second Amendment practice and opponents may view as a payment-network compliance or fraud-monitoring tool. The bill would likely be controversial among financial institutions, payment processors, and gun-rights advocates because it ties federal contracting eligibility to a private-sector policy choice. Another potential issue is whether the federal government should use procurement leverage to influence payment-processing standards.
No SmartPay for Anti-2A Companies Act This bill prohibits the General Service Administration from awarding a contract under the SmartPay Program for the procurement of a commercial payment system that uses a payment processing agency that has implemented a merchant category code for gun retailers.