Overturning the 2005 law that granted gun manufacturers immunity from liability, shielding them from lawsuits and stalling the adoption of safety devices
Overturn the 2005 law that granted gun manufacturers immunity from liability.
Occurrences
Evidence
The House office’s sponsored-legislation page lists Jake Auchincloss as a cosponsor of H.R. 3740, the "Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2025," updated 06/04/25.
The same official office archive lists Auchincloss as a cosponsor of H.R. 4184, described as a bill "to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act" and add gun-trace evidence rules in civil proceedings.
The office's sponsored-legislation page lists H.R. 3740, the Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2025, as a cosponsored bill updated 06/04/25.
A June 16, 2026 report says the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to New York's gun-liability law, leaving it in effect while challengers argued it was preempted by the federal PLCAA.
The Office of the Law Revision Counsel still lists 15 U.S.C. chapter 105, Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms, including section 7902's bar on qualified civil liability actions.
The Supreme Court applied PLCAA in 2025 and held that Mexico's complaint did not plausibly fit an exception, so PLCAA barred the lawsuit.
Congress.gov text says H.R.3740 was introduced with Mr. Auchincloss among named supporters and would repeal sections 2 through 4 of PLCAA.
Congress.gov lists H.R.3740's latest action as referral to the House Judiciary Committee on June 4, 2025, and its status as Introduced.
Congress.gov summary says H.R.4184 would repeal PLCAA; the latest action was House Judiciary referral on June 15, 2023, with status Introduced.
Congress.gov's cosponsor list for H.R.4184 lists Rep. Jake Auchincloss as an original cosponsor dated June 15, 2023.
Congress.gov says H.R.2814 would repeal PLCAA and was reported by House Judiciary, but its tracker remained at Introduced and it did not become law.
Congress.gov's cosponsor page lists Rep. Jake Auchincloss as an original cosponsor of H.R.2814 on April 22, 2021.
Assessments
PLCAA, the 2005 federal gun-industry liability shield, remains codified and was treated as operative law by the Supreme Court in 2025. Auchincloss did cosponsor multiple directly relevant repeal bills, including H.R.2814 in the 117th Congress, H.R.4184 in the 118th, and H.R.3740 in the 119th, so he made concrete legislative efforts. None of those bills became law or overturned PLCAA, so the promised outcome was not delivered.
Auchincloss materially supported repeal-oriented legislation, including cosponsoring bills to repeal or weaken the gun-manufacturer liability shield, but the evidence does not show that the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act was actually overturned. The underlying federal liability shield still appears to be in force, so the promise was not delivered; because he made a serious legislative attempt, effort credit is warranted.
Auchincloss made a concrete federal legislative effort by cosponsoring bills, including H.R. 3740 in the 119th Congress and H.R. 4184 earlier, that would repeal key provisions of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. However, H.R. 3740 was only introduced and referred to the House Judiciary Committee, and the promised outcome, overturning the 2005 gun-manufacturer liability immunity law, has not been enacted. Because the promise was not delivered despite serious legislative effort, this is a failed promise with an effort badge rather than partial fulfillment.