Ammunition Supply Chain Act proposes mandated reporting on materials key to U.S. ammunition manufacturing

Under a new bill – the Ammunition Supply Chain Act – proposed in the House by U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) and in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), the U.S. Army would need to prepare a thorough report on the supply chain of ammunition manufacturing.

“As threats to our nation’s security evolve, it is more important than ever to take proactive measures to secure our ammunition supply chain,” Emmer said. “This is not only about enhancing our military readiness but also supporting American manufacturing and ensuring law-abiding Minnesotans and Americans can exercise their Second Amendment rights.”

Americans need to be able to exercise their Second Amendment rights regardless of a rise in use of ammunition and artillery in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, Emmer stated, alluding to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the heightened tensions and warfare in the Middle East jumpstarted by the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and its subsequent invasion of Palestine. These conflicts have resulted in shortages of key materials needed for ammunition production, Emmer noted, leading to higher domestic ammunition prices as well.

“This administration creates as many ridiculous hurdles as possible to restrict law-abiding gun owners’ access to affordable guns and ammunition,” Risch said. “The Ammunition Supply Chain Act forces transparency from the Biden administration about the status of our domestic ammunition supply chain. This is vital to protect our right to bear arms and to ensure our military has the ammunition it needs to protect our country.”

This bill would require the Secretary of the Army to report to Congress on the ammunition supply chain, with data such as raw materials sourcing, identified weaknesses in the current supply chain, the global demand for ammunition and new strategies for public-private partnerships to combat any shortages.

Within Congress, the bill was cosponsored by U.S. Reps. Pete Stauber (R-MN), Brad Finstad (R-MN), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Rick Crawford (R-AR), and Bruce Westerman (R-AR). Outside of Congress, it is backed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and Vista Outdoor.