HR 1571

 

    HR1571       Hughes (D-NJ)           03/31/93       (254 lines) 
                 Introduced in House 

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the possession, 
  transfer, and certain exports of restricted weapons, the 
  manufacture of firearms capable of accepting a silencer or bayonet 
  without alteration, and the possession and transfer of large 
  capacity ammunition feeding devices, and for other purposes. 

Special typefaces used in this bill version: 
     //   \\    Italic 
     !!   !!    Bold roman 
Item Key: 3310 
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103D CONGRESS 
 1ST SESSION 
  
                                  H. R. 1571 
  
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the possession, 
  transfer, and certain exports of restricted weapons, the 
  manufacture of firearms capable of accepting a silencer or bayonet 
  without alteration, and the possession and transfer of large 
  capacity ammunition feeding devices, and for other purposes. 
  
                           ======================= 
  
                       IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
  
                                MARCH 31, 1993 
  
Mr. HUGHES (for himself and Mr. KLEIN) introduced the following 
  bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
  
                           ======================= 
  
                                    A BILL 
  
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the possession, 
  transfer, and certain exports of restricted weapons, the 
  manufacture of firearms capable of accepting a silencer or bayonet 
  without alteration, and the possession and transfer of large 
  capacity ammunition feeding devices, and for other purposes. 
  
    //Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled,\\ 
  
!!SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.!! 
  
    This Act may be cited as the "Restricted Weapons Act of 1993". 
  
!!SEC. 2. PROHIBITION AGAINST POSSESSION AND TRANSFER OF RESTRICTED 
            WEAPONS.!! 
  
    (a) PROHIBITION.--Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
  
    "(s)(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), it shall 
be unlawful for any person to possess or transfer a restricted 
weapon. 
  
    "(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any otherwise lawful 
possession or transfer of a restricted weapon if the weapon was 
lawfully possessed before the date the weapon was most recently 
added to the list published pursuant to section 925A. 
  
    "(3) It shall be unlawful for any person to transfer a 
restricted weapon that meets the requirement of paragraph (2), 
except in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.". 
  
    (b) RESTRICTED WEAPON DEFINED.--Section 921(a) of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
  
    "(29) The term `restricted weapon' means any firearm which is 
on the list most recently published by the Secretary under section 
925A.". 
  
    (c) AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY TO DESIGNATE 
RESTRICTED WEAPONS; PUBLICATION OF LIST.-- 
        (1) IN GENERAL.--Chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, 
    is amended by inserting after section 925 the following: 
  
!!"S 925A. Designation of restricted weapons!! 
  
    "(a) Within 60 days after the date of the enactment of this 
section, the Secretary shall-- 
        "(1) designate as a restricted weapon-- 
            "(A) any semiautomatic rifle which is-- 
                "(i) manufactured in the United States; and 
                "(ii) not generally recognized as particularly 
            suitable for, or readily adaptable to, sporting purposes; 
            and 
            "(B) any firearm manufactured outside the United States 
        the importation of which is prohibited under section 925(d); 
        and 
        "(2) compile and publish a list of the firearms so 
    designated. 
  
    "(b) After the end of the 60-day period described in subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall, from time to time-- 
        "(1) revise the list published pursuant to subsection (a)-- 
            "(A) to include in such list any weapon which meets the 
        requirements of subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (a)(1); 
        and 
            "(B) to exclude from such list any weapon which is not 
        described in subsection (a)(1)(A) and which is not described 
        in subsection (a)(1)(B); and 
        "(2) publish the revised list.". 
        (2) SEMIAUTOMATIC RIFLE DEFINED.--Section 921(a) of such 
    title is amended by adding after the paragraph added by 
    subsection (b) of this section the following: 
  
    "(30) The term `semiautomatic rifle', means-- 
        "(A) a rifle which uses a portion of the force of a fired 
    cartridge to expel the case of the fired cartridge and load 
    another cartridge into the firing chamber, and which requires a 
    separate function of the trigger to fire each cartridge; and 
        "(B) any part or combination of parts, designed or intended 
    to convert a rifle into a rifle described in subparagraph (A).". 
        (3) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.--The table of sections at the 
    beginning of chapter 44 of such title is amended by inserting 
    after the item relating to section 925 the following: 
  
"925A. Designation of restricted weapons.". 
  
    (d) PENALTIES.-- 
        (1) UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OR TRANSFER OF RESTRICTED WEAPON.-- 
    Section 924(a)(1)(B) of such title, as amended by section 
    6(b)(2) of this Act, is amended by striking "or (r)" and 
    inserting "(r), or (s)". 
        (2) ENHANCED PENALTY FOR POSSESSION OR USE OF RESTRICTED 
    WEAPON DURING CRIME OF VIOLENCE OR DRUG TRAFFICKING CRIME.-- 
    Section 924(c)(1) of such title is amended by striking "and if 
    the firearm is a short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun" 
    and inserting "if the firearm is a restricted weapon, a short- 
    barreled rifle, or a short-barreled shotgun,". 
  
    (e) REGULATIONS GOVERNING TRANSFER OF RESTRICTED WEAPONS.-- 
        (1) REGULATIONS.--Section 926 of such title is amended by 
    adding at the end the following: 
  
    "(d)(1) Within 60 days after the date of the enactment of this 
subsection, the Secretary shall prescribe regulations governing the 
transfer of restricted weapons, which shall allow such a transfer to 
proceed within 30 days after the Secretary receives such 
documentation as the Secretary may require to be submitted with 
respect to the transfer, and shall include provisions for 
determining whether the transferee is a person described in section 
922(g). 
  
    "(2) The Secretary may assess a fee of not more than $50 in 
connection with the transfer of a restricted weapon.". 
        (2) PENALTY FOR VIOLATION OF REGULATIONS.--Section 924(a) 
    of such title is amended-- 
            (A) in paragraph (1), by striking "paragraph (2) or (3) 
        of"; and 
            (B) by adding at the end the following: 
  
    "(5) Whoever transfers a restricted weapon in violation of a 
regulation issued under section 926(d)(1) but in an otherwise lawful 
manner shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than one 
year, or both.". 
  
!!SEC. 3. PROHIBITION AGAINST CERTAIN EXPORTS OF RESTRICTED 
            WEAPONS.!! 
  
    (a) PROHIBITION.--Section 922 of title 18, United States Code 
is amended by adding after the subsection added by section 2(a) of 
this Act the following: 
  
    "(t)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), it shall be 
unlawful to export or attempt to export a restricted weapon. 
  
    "(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the exportation of a 
restricted weapon-- 
        "(A) by or for the United States or any department or 
    agency thereof; or 
        "(B) by or to the government of a foreign country. 
  
    "(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2)(B), it shall be unlawful to 
knowingly export or attempt to export a restricted weapon to a 
country if the Secretary of State finds that-- 
        "(A) the government of the country engages in a consistent 
    pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human 
    rights; or 
        "(B) the country has repeatedly provided support for 
    international terrorism.". 
  
    (b) PENALTY.--Section 924(a) of such title, is amended by 
adding after the paragraph added by section 2(e)(2)(B) of this Act 
the following: 
  
    "(6) Whoever knowingly violates section 922(t) shall be fined 
under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.". 
  
!!SEC. 4. PROHIBITION AGAINST MANUFACTURE OF A FIREARM CAPABLE OF 
            ACCEPTING A SILENCER OR BAYONET WITHOUT ALTERATION.!! 
  
    (a) PROHIBITION.--Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended by adding after the subsections added by sections 2(a) 
and 3(a) of this Act the following: 
  
    "(u) It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture a 
firearm to which a firearm silencer or bayonet may be directly 
attached without alteration of the firearm.". 
  
    (b) PENALTY.--Section 924(a)(1)(B) of such title, as amended by 
sections 6(a) and 2(d)(1) of this Act, is amended by striking "or 
(s)" and inserting "(s), or (u)". 
  
!!SEC. 5. PROHIBITION AGAINST POSSESSION OR TRANSFER OF LARGE 
            CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICES.!! 
  
    (a) PROHIBITION.--Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended by adding after the subsections added by sections 2(a), 
3(a), and 4(a) of this Act the following: 
  
    "(v)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess or 
transfer any large capacity ammunition feeding device. 
  
    "(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any otherwise lawful 
possession or otherwise lawful transfer of a large capacity 
ammunition feeding device that was lawfully possessed before the 
date of the enactment of this subsection.". 
  
    (b) LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICE DEFINED.--Section 
921(a) of such title is amended by adding after the paragraphs added 
by subsections (b) and (c)(2) of section 2 of this Act the 
following: 
  
    "(31)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term 
`large capacity ammunition feeding device' means-- 
        "(i) a detachable magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or 
    similar device which has, or which can be readily restored or 
    converted to have, a capacity of more than 7 rounds of 
    ammunition; and 
        "(ii) any part or combination of parts, designed or 
    intended to convert a detachable magazine, belt, drum, feed 
    strip, or similar device into a device described in clause (i). 
  
    "(B) The term `large capacity ammunition feeding device' does 
not include any attached tubular device designed to accept and 
capable of operating with only .22 rimfire caliber ammunition.". 
  
    (c) PENALTY.--Section 924(a)(1)(B) of such title, as amended by 
sections 6(a), 2(d)(1), and 4(b) of this Act, is amended by striking 
"or (u)" and inserting "(u), or (v)". 
  
    (d) REGULATIONS.--Section 926 of such title is amended by 
adding after the subsection added by section 2(e)(1) of this Act the 
following: 
  
    "(e) The Secretary shall promulgate regulations requiring 
manufacturers of large capacity ammunition feeding devices to stamp 
each such device manufactured after the date of the enactment of 
this subsection with a permanent distinguishing mark selected in 
accordance with regulations.". 
  
!!SEC. 6. TECHNICAL CORRECTION RELATING TO FIREARMS LAWS.!! 
  
    (a) IN GENERAL.--Section 924(a)(1)(B) of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by striking "(q)" and inserting "(r)". 
  
    (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.--The amendment made by this section shall 
take effect if such amendment had been included in section 2204 of 
the Crime Control Act of 1990 at the time such section 2204 became 
law.