Four U.S. Democratic senators, including Ben Cardin, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with Tim Kaine, Chris Murphy, and Dick Durbin, announced their intention to introduce the Regional Arms Control in the Americas Act (ARMAS) to help stem the flow of U.S.-manufactured weapons into the Americas. According to a statement released on June 21, this legislation aims to address the threat posed by this flow to regional stability, U.S. security, American lives, and broader U.S. foreign policy objectives.

The senators argue that firearms originating from the United States significantly contribute to gang violence, human rights abuses, and political instability.