I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8537 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide increased penalties for 
mass killings involving machineguns or certain semiautomatic weapons, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 27, 2022 
Mr. MOULTON (for himself and Ms. ESCOBAR) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide increased 
penalties for mass killings involving machineguns or cer-
tain semiautomatic weapons, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mass Shooter Prosecu-
tion Act of 2022’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:12 Aug 08, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8537.IH
H8537
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. MASS KILLINGS USING MACHINEGUNS OR COVERED 
SEMIAUTOMATIC WEAPONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 113B of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2332i 
the following: 
‘‘§ 2332j. Mass killings using machineguns or covered 
semiautomatic weapons 
‘‘(a) Whoever kills 3 or more people in a single inci-
dent using a machinegun or a covered semiautomatic 
weapon in a circumstance described in subsection (b), 
shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life. 
‘‘(b) A circumstance described in this subsection is 
any one of the following: 
‘‘(1) The mail or any facility of interstate or 
foreign commerce was used in furtherance of the of-
fense. 
‘‘(2) The machinegun or covered semiautomatic 
weapon used in the commission of the offense was 
transported in interstate or foreign commerce. 
‘‘(3) The perpetrator traveled in or caused an-
other to travel in interstate or foreign commerce in 
furtherance of the offense. 
‘‘(4) The offense occurred within the special 
maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United 
States. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:12 Aug 08, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8537.IH
H8537
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(5) The offense otherwise occurred in or af-
fected interstate or foreign commerce.’’. 
(b) DEFINITION.—Section 2331 of chapter 113B is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) the term ‘covered semiautomatic weapon’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) semiautomatic rifle that— 
‘‘(i) has a magazine that is not a fixed 
magazine; and 
‘‘(ii) does have any one of— 
‘‘(I) a pistol grip; 
‘‘(II) a forward grip; 
‘‘(III) a folding, telescoping, or 
detachable stock, or is otherwise 
foldable or adjustable in a manner 
that operates to reduce the length, 
size, or any other dimension, or other-
wise enhances the concealability, of 
the weapon; 
‘‘(IV) a grenade launcher; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:12 Aug 08, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8537.IH
H8537
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(V) a barrel shroud; or 
‘‘(VI) a threaded barrel; 
‘‘(B) a semiautomatic rifle that has a fixed 
magazine with the capacity to accept more than 
10 rounds, except for an attached tubular de-
vice designed to accept, and capable of oper-
ating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition; 
‘‘(C) any part, combination of parts, com-
ponent, device, attachment, or accessory that is 
designed or functions to accelerate the rate of 
fire of a semiautomatic firearm but not convert 
the semiautomatic firearm into a machinegun; 
‘‘(D) a semiautomatic shotgun that— 
‘‘(i) has the capacity to utilize a mag-
azine that is not a fixed magazine; and 
‘‘(ii) does have any one of— 
‘‘(I) a folding, telescoping, or de-
tachable stock; 
‘‘(II) a pistol grip or bird’s head 
grip; 
‘‘(III) a fixed magazine with the 
capacity to accept more than 5 
rounds; 
‘‘(IV) the ability to accept a de-
tachable magazine; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:12 Aug 08, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8537.IH
H8537
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS