Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act

HR 2189

Author

Dusty Wilson
February 09, 2026

What is this bill?

  • HR 2189, sponsored by Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI-5)

    • 23 Dems are co-sponsors:

      • Joyce Beatty (OH-3)

      • Sanford Bishop (GA-2)

      • Brendan Boyle (PA-2)

      • Troy Carter (LA-2)

      • Yvette Clarke (NY-9)

      • Luis Correa (CA-46)

      • Jasmine Crockett (TX-30)

      • Henry Cuellar (TX-28)

      • Don Davis (NC-1)

      • Laura Gillen (NY-4)

      • Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5)

      • Adam Gray (CA-13)

      • Jonathan Jackson (IL-1)

      • Julie Johnson (TX-32)

      • John Larson (CT-1)

      • Marie Glusenkamp Perez (WA-3)

      • Hillary Scholten (MI-3)

      • Haley Stevens (MI-11)

      • Shri Thanedar (MI-13)

      • Bennie Thompson (MS-2)

      • Gabe Vasquez (NM-2)

      • Marc Veasey (TX-33)

      • Eugene Vindman (VA-7)

  • S 1283, sponsored by Bill Hagerty (R-TN)

    • co-sponsored by Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)

This bill would amend 18 US Code 921(a)(3) so that less lethal weaponry (such as pepper ball guns, tear gas launchers) are not classified as a firearm. The only other weaponry listed as not a firearm in this section are antique firearms (i.e. muskets, flintlock guns).

This declassification would cause less-than-lethal weaponry & ammunition to not be subject to the firearms tax described in Section 4182 of the Internal Revenue Code. The bill does state that a less-than-lethal weapon must fire at a velocity of less than 500 feet per second to be exempt from this tax, but that the ‘Secretary” may make a list of less-than-lethals that fire at a higher velocity that they personally deem exempt. Which Secretary this is isn’t specifically named, but seeing as this bill was assigned to the Committee on the Judiciary & the Department of Justice runs the ETF, I think it’s a safe assumption that this would mean the Attorney General Pam Bondi.

What makes this bill fascist?

The use of tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets have long been a common occurrence with federal and local police. Whether it’s Ferguson, the George Floyd protests, or the current action against ICE/CPB, where protest goes, this weaponry follows.

I should also note that less-than-lethal does not mean it isn’t deadly. Protestors and bystanders alike have been sickened, maimed, and murdered from the use (more often purposeful misuse) of these weapons.

But what makes this bill fascist is its bipartisan push to make less-than-lethal weaponry cheaper for the local and federal police that use them. Journalists have noted that the use of tear gas by ICE has been extremely intense and this is something that will get worse if the tools these cops use become less expensive to purchase.

Which Dems voted for it?

Did this bill pass?

  • passed the House on 2/12/26 by a vote of 233-185