Representatives Castro, Goldman, Torres, Cherfilus-Mccormick Introduce the Americas Regional Monitoring of Arms Sales Act to Curb U.S. Firearm Trafficking to Latin America and Caribbean

Read the Bill Here

Washington, DC – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) today with Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35), and Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20) introduced the Americas Regional Monitoring of Arms Sales (ARMAS) Act, legislation that would disrupt firearm trafficking from the United States to Latin America and the Caribbean by implementing stronger transparency, accountability, and oversight mechanisms for U.S. arms exports.

"Transnational criminal organizations, especially drug cartels, rely on American-made guns to control their human trafficking and drug smuggling operations by force," Congressman Dan Goldman said. "We must take every avenue possible to ensure that American weapons do not get into the hands of the cartels, who use them to threaten the safety and prosperity of the entire Western Hemisphere. It's incumbent upon American leadership and a strong federal response to keep weapons of war out of the hands of the cartels. The ARMAS Act is a key component of that much-needed response."

Congressman Joaquin Castro said, “Nearly four years ago, the Trump administration worked with the National Rifle Association to loosen gun export regulations and unleash a flood of American-made guns on the Western Hemisphere. As we work with our allies and partners to address shared regional challenges, including forced migration and drug trafficking, Congress needs to address the role of U.S. gun exports in driving violence and instability abroad. The ARMAS Act will reestablish strong oversight of American gun exports, bring federal agencies together to disrupt arms trafficking, and build safer communities for families in the United States and in the Western Hemisphere.”

Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick said, “Weapons trafficking by way of the United States is a major contributor to Haiti’s growing gang crisis and the current instability that plagues the country. The implementation of stronger transparency, accountability, and oversight mechanisms for U.S. arms exports would address this regional issue and stop guns from getting into the hands of dangerous criminals.” 

Congresswoman Norma Torres said, “The American people deserve transparency when it comes to American-made guns being sent abroad. There must be greater Congressional oversight over dangerous firearms exports. I have long pushed for policies to address firearms trafficking and its deadly and often destabilizing impacts on regions like the Northern Triangle. The ARMAS Act – which includes my legislation to crack down on deadly firearms exports – provides much-needed transparency and accountability mechanisms. This legislation will disrupt firearms trafficking across the Western Hemisphere and bolster both America's national security and the security of our neighbors.” 

Nick Wilson, senior director for Gun Violence Prevention at Center for American Progress said, “Guns from the U.S. are being used by violent groups in Latin America and the Caribbean to commit atrocities and destabilize the region. The ARMAS Act would increase accountability and transparency in arms exports. It includes several crucial provisions that gun violence advocates and survivors have identified as key to being crucial to reducing the illegal flow of US guns to other countries. I commend Rep. Castro’s leadership on this issue. If passed, the ARMAS Act would undoubtedly save lives.”

As the Western Hemisphere grapples with rising violence and insecurity exacerbated by the increasing presence and aggression of transnational criminal organizations, including those involved in fentanyl trafficking, the United States must address its own role in furthering these crises. According to data from the Government Accountability Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S.-sourced firearms accounted for 75 percent of firearms recovered from the Dominican Republic and 70 percent from Mexico. Most recently, U.S. guns were connected to the murder and kidnapping of four American citizens in the border town of Matamoros, Mexico.

In 2020, the Trump administration transferred authority over small arms exports from the State Department to the Commerce Department in a giveaway to gun lobbyists that loosened registration requirements and export oversight. At the time, the National Rifle Association released a statement celebrating the decision as allowing export manufacturers to “run more competitively among the global markets.” The transfer has led to skyrocketing arms sales, with a 30 percent annual increase in U.S. arms exports globally and an 82 percent increase in U.S. handgun exports to Latin America and the Caribbean. Across the Western Hemisphere, public reporting has shown that firearms from the United States contribute substantially to political suppression, gang violence, and human rights violations.

The ARMAS Act will address these challenges by:

• Transferring small arms authority from the Commerce Department and back to the State Department to ensure greater accountability and transparency. 

• Requiring the development of a comprehensive interagency strategy and program, led by the State Department, to disrupt arms trafficking and diversion of exported firearms and create a certification requirement for arm sales end-users. 

• Providing for congressional notification, review, and oversight of certain small arms exports regulated by the State Department. 

• Requiring the submission of an annual report by the State Department and relevant agencies that will allow Congress to understand the challenges and successes of current efforts to address illegal arms trafficking and inform future strategies. 

• Prohibiting the Commerce Department from promoting small arm sales globally throughout the transfer of authority period.

The ARMAS Act is co-sponsored by Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Jesús G. “Chuy” Garcia (IL-04), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Seth Magazine (RI-02), Juan Vargas (CA-52) and endorsed by the Center for American Progress, the Newtown Action Alliance, the Stop U.S. Arms to Mexico project, Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), Global Exchange, Global Action on Gun Violence.

Congressman Dan Goldman is committed to keeping weapons of war out of the hands of drug cartels.

Last month, Congressman Goldman introduced the Disarming Cartels Act to curtail the trafficking of U.S.-made firearms and ammunition south-bound over the U.S.-Mexico border. Guns originating in the United States power human- and drug-trafficking efforts and other illicit activities by cartels and other transnational criminal organizations in Mexico and beyond.

Congressman Goldman is a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

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