The Americas Regional Monitoring of Arms Sales Act of 2025, or ARMAS Act, addresses the significant issue of United States-origin firearms exacerbating violence and human rights abuses in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. It highlights that firearms from the U.S. account for a large percentage of weapons traced in crimes in Mexico and contribute to high homicide rates and instability in the region. The bill notes a substantial increase in firearm exports and a decrease in oversight since regulatory control shifted from the Department of State to the Department of Commerce in 2020.

A central provision of the Act requires the transfer of regulatory control for certain munitions exports, specifically "previously covered items" that were moved from the U.S. Munitions List to the Commerce Control List, back to the Department of State within one year. This transfer is intended to be permanent, and the Department of Commerce is explicitly prohibited from promoting the export of these items. This aims to restore stricter controls on firearms exports that were previously under State Department jurisdiction.

The bill mandates comprehensive reporting and the development of an interagency strategy to disrupt illegal firearm trafficking. Within 180 days, the Secretary of State must report on efforts to prevent illegal export and diversion to designated "covered countries," including tracking end-users, ensuring destruction of surplus firearms, and preventing use in human rights violations. This report will inform a joint interagency strategy, due within one year, outlining plans to achieve these objectives with specific performance measures and resource estimates.

To enhance enforcement, the Act requires the Secretary of State to work with law enforcement in designated "covered countries" to increase their participation in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' eTrace program, which helps trace U.S.-sourced firearms. The bill also calls for an update to the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative's framework to include specific indicators related to firearms trafficking. Haiti is specifically mentioned, requiring the eTrace program to be available in French and Haitian Creole.

The Secretary of State is directed to designate "covered countries" in North America, South America, or the Caribbean that are not NATO members, with an initial list including nations like Mexico, Guatemala, and Haiti. For these countries, the bill establishes strict certification requirements for munitions exports. Transfers of covered munitions are prohibited until the Secretary certifies the establishment of a program that prevents retransfer without U.S. consent, and ensures registration and end-use monitoring of these weapons.

This program requires maintaining detailed records of origin, shipping, and distribution, registering serial numbers, and conducting end-use monitoring. Crucially, the Secretary of State must review vetting databases and ensure that retransfers are not consented to if the prospective recipient is credibly implicated in gross human rights violations. Furthermore, the Secretary of State must submit certifications to Congress before granting export licenses for previously covered items, allowing Congress a period to disapprove such exports.