S. 3387Senate117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Data Integrity Act of 2021

Introduced December 14, 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 8:35 AM UTC

The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Data Integrity Act of 2021 updates the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to improve how background‑check records are kept and searched. It requires the NICS to retain records about firearm transfers until it can determine whether the transfer violates federal or state law, and to notify individuals if a determination takes longer than 30 days. The law also expands the databases that NICS must search, adding the National Data Exchange, Interstate Identification Index, NCIC, the NICS Index, and any other relevant databases chosen by the Attorney General.

Key Provisions

  • Mandates that NICS retain records related to a firearm transfer or potential transfer until it can confirm the transfer does not violate law.
  • If NICS cannot make that determination within 30 days, it must notify the person and allow them to submit information to correct or supplement the records.
  • Requires NICS to search additional databases—including the National Data Exchange, Interstate Identification Index, NCIC, the NICS Index, and any other databases the Attorney General deems relevant—when conducting background checks.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

December 14, 2021

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

December 14, 2021

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

December 14, 2021

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S. 3387 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat
Dianne Feinstein
Sen. Dianne FeinsteinD-CA · Dec 14, 2021

Mr. President, today, I am reintroducing legislation that would help bolster the Nation's background check system for firearms. Under current law, the FBI is forced to remove records from incomplete…

Dianne Feinstein
Sen. Dianne FeinsteinD-CA · Dec 14, 2021

Mr. President, today, I am reintroducing legislation that would help bolster the Nation's background check system for firearms. Under current law, the FBI is forced to remove records from incomplete…

John Thune
Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Dec 14, 2021

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued December 14, 2021

II

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 3387

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

December 14, 2021

Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Brown, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Padilla, and Mr. Whitehouse) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To require the search and retention of certain records with respect to conducting criminal background checks, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Data Integrity Act of 2021.

2.

Search of National Data Exchange

(a)

Retention of Background Check Records

Section 103 of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (34 U.S.C. 40901) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subsections (h) through (k) as subsections (i) through (l), respectively;

(2)

in subsection (g), in the last sentence, by striking subsection (k) and inserting subsection (l); and

(3)

by inserting after subsection (g) the following:

(h)

Record Retention

(1)

Deadline for Retention

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the system shall retain records related to a transfer or potential transfer of a firearm to a person who is the subject of a call to the system pursuant to subsection (s) or (t) of section 922 of title 18, United States Code, for as long as necessary to determine whether receipt of a firearm by the person would violate subsection (g) or (n) of such section or State law.

(2)

Notice of Retention

If the system has not determined whether receipt of a firearm by a person would violate subsection (g) or (n) of section 922 of title 18, United States Code, or State law within 30 days after a call to the system with respect to the person, the system shall notify the person in writing (or by electronic mail if the person has consented to the use of electronic mail) that—

(A)

the system may retain records relating to the person and the transfer of a firearm until the system determines that receipt of such firearm by the person does not violate subsection (g) or (n) of section 922 of title 18, United States Code, or State law; and

(B)

the person may submit to the Attorney General information to correct, clarify, or supplement records (with respect to the person) retained by the system in accordance with this section and any regulation established by the Attorney General.

.

(b)

Search of National Data Exchange

Section 103(e)(1) of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (34 U.S.C. 40901(e)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(L)

Search of National Data Exchange Database

When determining whether receipt of a firearm by a person would violate subsection (g) or (n) of section 922 of title 18, United States Code, the system established under this section shall search databases containing relevant information, including—

(i)

the National Data Exchange;

(ii)

the Interstate Identification Index System (as defined in article I of the National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact, set forth in section 217 of the Crime Identification Technology Act of 1998 (34 U.S.C. 40316));

(iii)

the National Crime Information Center databases;

(iv)

the database created for use by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and that contains descriptive information on persons determined to be disqualified from possessing a firearm based upon State or Federal law (commonly known as the NICS Index); and

(v)

any other database determined by the Attorney General to be relevant to conducting a background search.

.