A new bill has been introduced by Congressman Jimmy Patronis (R-FL) in the United States House of Representatives that would repeal the Hughes Amendment. The bill, titled the “Firearm Freedom Act of 2026,” would undo the restrictions Congress placed on machine guns in 1986.
In 1986, Congress passed the Firearms Owners’ Protection Act (FOPA), a measure intended to reform certain aspects of federal gun control laws and protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners. However, during a late-night session, Democrats added the Hughes Amendment. This addition effectively closed the machine gun registry and banned the transfer of machine guns manufactured after May 19, 1986. The amendment was passed by a highly contested voice vote, with questions later raised about its procedural legitimacy.
The new legislation seeks to reverse what many view as an unconstitutional stripping of rights from American citizens by once again allowing the legal transfer and ownership of newly manufactured machine guns by civilians.
Proponents argue that fully automatic firearms are protected under the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to keep and bear arms. However, federal courts have generally been hostile to challenges against regulations on automatic weapons. Judges have often cited the Supreme Court’s reasoning in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), describing machine guns as “dangerous and unusual” weapons not in common use for lawful purposes, thereby justifying the ongoing restrictions.
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