Ammunition Safety Act of 1997 - Amends the Federal criminal code to include persons selling ammunition within the definition of "dealer" for purposes of Federal firearms laws. Subjects dealers in ammunition to licensing requirements applicable to firearms dealers.
Sets a $10 per year license fee for dealers in ammunition other than ammunition for destructive devices.
Applies to ammunition specified prohibitions currently applicable to importing, manufacturing, dealing in, transporting, or receiving firearms without a license.
Increases penalties for specified violations of Federal firearms provisions.
Subjects any person at least 18 years of age who violates provisions regarding shipping, transporting, possessing, or receiving a firearm or ammunition by specified categories of persons (such as fugitives and illegal aliens) to twice the maximum punishment authorized and at least twice any term of supervised release, except to the extent a greater minimum sentence is otherwise provided.
Makes specified provisions of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act applicable to the transfer of ammunition.
Requires the Secretary of the Treasury: (1) to establish uniform standards for testing and rating the destructive capacity of projectiles capable of being used in handguns; (2) utilizing such standards, to establish performance-based standards to define the rating of "armor piercing ammunition" based on the rating at which the projectiles pierce armor; and (3) at the expense of the ammunition manufacturer seeking to sell a particular type of ammunition, to test and rate the destructive capacity of the ammunition utilizing such standards.
Defines "armor piercing ammunition" to include any projectile determined to have a destructive capacity rating higher than the threshold established, in addition to the composition-based determination. Authorizes the Congress to exempt specific ammunition designed for sporting purposes from such definition. Prohibits the possession or use of armor piercing ammunition, with exceptions. Permits the manufacture, importation, or use of any projectile that has been proven, by testing performed at the expense of the manufacturer, to have a lower rating threshold than armor piercing ammunition.
[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 1349 Introduced in House (IH)]
105th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1349
To regulate handgun ammunition, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 16, 1997
Mr. Kennedy of Massachusetts introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To regulate handgun ammunition, 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 ``Ammunition Safety Act of 1997''.
SEC. 2. DEALERS OF AMMUNITION.
(a) Definition.--Section 921(a)(11)(A) of title 18, United States
Code, is amended by inserting ``or ammunition'' after ``firearms''.
(b) Licensing.--Section 923(a) of title 18, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking ``or
importing or manufacturing ammunition'' and inserting ``or
importing, manufacturing, or dealing in ammunition''; and
(2) in paragraph (3)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' the
last place it appears;
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; or''; and
(C) by inserting the following new subparagraph:
``(C) in ammunition other than ammunition for destructive
devices, $10 per year.''.
(c) Unlawful Acts.--Section 922(a)(1)(A) of title 18, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) by inserting ``or ammunition'' after
``firearms''; and
(ii) by inserting ``or ammunition'' after
``firearm''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``or licensed
manufacturer'' and inserting ``licensed manufacturer,
or licensed dealer'';
(2) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by inserting ``or ammunition'' after ``firearm'';
(3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``or ammunition'' after
``firearm'' the first place it appears;
(4) in paragraph (5), by inserting ``or ammunition'' after
``firearm'' the first place it appears; and
(5) in paragraph (9), by inserting ``or ammunition'' after
``firearms''.
(d) Penalties.--Section 924 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (6)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking ``1 year''
and inserting ``2 years''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B)--
(i) in clause (i), by striking ``1 year''
and inserting ``2 years''; and
(ii) in clause (ii), by striking ``10
years'' and inserting ``20 years''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(o) Except to the extent a greater minimum sentence is otherwise
provided, any person at least 18 years of age who violates section
922(g) shall be subject to--
``(1) twice the maximum punishment authorized by this
subsection; and
``(2) at least twice any term of supervised release.''.
(e) Application of Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act To
Transfer of Ammunition.--Section 922(t) of title 18, United States
Code, is amended by inserting ``or ammunition'' after ``firearm'' each
place it appears.
SEC. 3. REGULATION OF ARMOR PIERCING AND NEW TYPES OF DESTRUCTIVE
AMMUNITION.
(a) Testing of Ammunition.--Section 921(a)(17) of title 18, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(D)(i) Notwithstanding subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5,
United States Code, not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this subparagraph, the Secretary shall--
``(I) establish uniform standards for testing and rating
the destructive capacity of projectiles capable of being used
in handguns;
``(II) utilizing the standards established pursuant to
subclause (I), establish performance-based standards to define
the rating of `armor piercing ammunition' based on the rating
at which the projectiles pierce armor; and
``(III) at the expense of the ammunition manufacturer
seeking to sell a particular type of ammunition, test and rate
the destructive capacity of the ammunition utilizing the
testing, rating, and performance-based standards established
under subclauses (I) and (II).
``(ii) The term `armor piercing ammunition' shall include any
projectile determined to have a destructive capacity rating higher than
the rating threshold established under subclause (II), in addition to
the composition-based determination of subparagraph (B).
``(iii) The Congress may exempt specific ammunition designed for
sporting purposes from the definition of `armor piercing
ammunition'.''.
(b) Prohibition.--Section 922(a) of title 18, United States Code,
is amended--
(1) in paragraph (7)--
(A) by striking ``or import'' and inserting ``,
import, possess, or use'';
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'';
(C) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(D) the manufacture, importation, or use of any
projectile that has been proven, by testing performed
at the expense of the manufacturer of the projectile,
to have a lower rating threshold than armor piercing
ammunition.''; and
(2) in paragraph (8)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'';
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(D) the manufacture, importation, or use of any
projectile that has been proven, by testing performed
at the expense of the manufacturer of the projectile,
to have a lower rating threshold than armor piercing
ammunition.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime.
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