H.R. 1534House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Act of 2021

Introduced March 3, 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 11:45 PM UTC

The Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Act of 2021 aims to stop the federal government from using emergency powers to impose new gun control measures. It bars the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services from declaring emergencies or disasters specifically to enact firearm restrictions. The bill also changes the disaster relief law to explicitly forbid the manufacturing, sale, or transfer of firearms and ammunition during such declarations. It affects the President, the HHS Secretary, and any agencies that might use emergency declarations to regulate guns.

Key Provisions

  • Prohibits the President (or any designee) from declaring a national emergency or major disaster under the National Emergencies Act or the Stafford Disaster Relief Act for the purpose of imposing gun control
  • Bars the HHS Secretary from declaring a public health emergency under the Public Health Service Act to impose gun control
  • Amends the Stafford Disaster Relief Act to add provisions that specifically prohibit the manufacturing, sale, or transfer of firearms and ammunition during a declared emergency or disaster

Legislative Activity

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3 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

March 4, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 3, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

March 3, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

March 4, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

March 4, 2021

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in HouseIssued March 3, 2021

I

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1534

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 3, 2021

Mr. Cloud (for himself, Mr. Budd, Mr. Perry, Mr. Meuser, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Norman, Mr. Babin, Mr. Hice of Georgia, Mr. Guest, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Roy, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Gosar, Mr. DesJarlais, Mr. Womack, Ms. Herrell, Mrs. Boebert, Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Rosendale, Mr. McClintock, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Cline, Mr. Davidson, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Massie, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Owens, Mrs. Greene of Georgia, Mr. Buck, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. Kustoff, Mr. Stewart, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Clyde, and Mr. Hagedorn) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To prohibit the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services from declaring certain emergencies or disasters for the purpose of imposing gun control.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Act of 2021.

2.

Limitation on declarations by President

The President (or any designee thereof) shall not, for the purpose of imposing gun control, declare an emergency pursuant to the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) or an emergency or major disaster pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).

3.

Limitation on declarations by HHS

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall not, for the purpose of imposing gun control, declare a public health emergency pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d).

4.

Firearms policies

Section 706(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5207(a)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (3) by striking ; or and inserting a semicolon;

(2)

in paragraph (4) by striking the period and inserting a semicolon; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(5)

prohibit the manufacturing, sale, or transfer of firearms; or

(6)

prohibit the manufacturing, sale, or transfer of ammunition.

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