I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6154 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to require licenses to acquire or 
receive firearms, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 1, 2023 
Mr. KIM of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to require licenses 
to acquire or receive firearms, 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 ‘‘Responsible Gun Own-
ership Licensing Act’’. 
SEC. 2. LICENSE FOR THE PURCHASE OF FIREARMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 44 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:40 Nov 08, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6154.IH
H6154
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘§ 935. License for the acquisition or receipt of fire-
arms 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(d), it shall be unlawful for any individual to purchase or 
receive a firearm unless the individual has a valid Federal 
firearm license. 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT
OF FEDERAL LICENSE TO 
PURCHASE OR RECEIVE FIREARMS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall 
establish a Federal system for issuing a Federal fire-
arm license to eligible individuals for firearms trans-
ferred to such individual. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The system established 
under paragraph (1) shall require that— 
‘‘(A) an individual shall be eligible to re-
ceive such a license if the individual— 
‘‘(i) has completed training in fire-
arms safety, including— 
‘‘(I) a written test, to dem-
onstrate knowledge of applicable fire-
arms laws; and 
‘‘(II) hands-on testing, including 
firing testing, to demonstrate safe use 
and sufficient accuracy of a firearm; 
and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:40 Nov 08, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6154.IH
H6154
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(ii) as part of the process for apply-
ing for such a license— 
‘‘(I) has submitted to a back-
ground investigation and criminal his-
tory check of the individual; 
‘‘(II) has submitted proof of 
identity; 
‘‘(III) has submitted the finger-
prints of the individual; and 
‘‘(IV) has submitted identifying 
information on the firearm that the 
person intends to obtain, including the 
make, model, and serial number, and 
the identity of the firearm seller or 
transferor; 
‘‘(B) a license issued under the system is 
available at a designated local office, which 
shall be located in both urban and rural areas; 
‘‘(C) the Attorney General shall issue or 
deny a license under this section not later than 
30 days after the date on which the application 
for such license is received; 
‘‘(D) each license issued under this section 
shall be valid for the purchase of a single fire-
arm, which shall be purchased not later than 30 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:40 Nov 08, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6154.IH
H6154
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
days after the date on which the license is 
issued; 
‘‘(E) a license issued under the system 
shall expire on the date that is 5 years after the 
date on which the license was issued; and 
‘‘(F) the Attorney General shall provide 
notice of an application for a license under this 
section to the relevant State and local officials. 
‘‘(3) BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Before issuing a li-
cense under this section, the Attorney General 
shall— 
‘‘(i) conduct a background investiga-
tion on the applicant; and 
‘‘(ii) deny any license if receipt of a 
firearm would violate subsection (g) or (n) 
of section 922 or any provision of State 
law. 
‘‘(B) POSES
A
DANGER
OF
BODILY
IN-
JURY.— 
‘‘(i) INFORMATION FROM STATE AND 
LOCAL OFFICIALS.—After receiving the no-
tice described in paragraph (2)(F), rel-
evant State and local officials may submit 
to the Attorney General information dem-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:40 Nov 08, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6154.IH
H6154
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
onstrating that the individual poses a sig-
nificant danger of bodily injury to self or 
others by possessing, purchasing, or receiv-
ing a firearm. 
‘‘(ii) DENIAL.— 
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney 
General may deny a license under this 
section if the Attorney General deter-
mines that the applicant poses a sig-
nificant danger of bodily injury to self 
or others by possessing, purchasing, 
or receiving a firearm, after exam-
ining factors the Attorney General 
considers are relevant to the deter-
mination, including— 
‘‘(aa) history of threats or 
acts of violence toward self or 
others; 
‘‘(bb) history of use, at-
tempted use, or threatened use of 
physical force by the applicant 
against another person; 
‘‘(cc) whether the applicant 
is the subject of or has violated a 
domestic violence or stalking re-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:40 Nov 08, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6154.IH
H6154
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
clause (I) may file an action in the 
appropriate district court of the 
United States for seeking review of 
the denial. 
‘‘(C) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing 
in this paragraph may be construed to modify 
any other requirement for a background inves-
tigation relating to the acquisition or receipt of 
a firearm in effect on the day before the date 
of enactment of this section. 
‘‘(4) REVOCATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General 
shall revoke a license issued under this section 
if the Attorney General determines that— 
‘‘(i) the licensee poses a significant 
danger of bodily injury to self or others by 
possessing, purchasing, or receiving a fire-
arm; or 
‘‘(ii) after a regular background inves-
tigation conducted by the Attorney Gen-
eral, the possession of a firearm would vio-
late subsection (g) or (n) of section 922 or 
any provision of State law. 
‘‘(B) NOTICE
AND
OPPORTUNITY
FOR
A 
HEARING.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:40 Nov 08, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6154.IH
H6154
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(i) NOTICE.—Upon determining that 
the licensee should have their license re-
voked under subparagraph (A), the Attor-
ney General shall provide notice to the li-
censee and to relevant State and local offi-
cials of the determination. 
‘‘(ii) 
HEARING.—For 
revocations 
under subparagraph (A)(i), the Attorney 
General shall provide a licensee an oppor-
tunity for a hearing in the appropriate dis-
trict court of the United States not later 
than 30 days after the date on which a li-
cense is revoked under this paragraph to 
appeal the revocation. 
‘‘(C) PROCEDURES.—The Attorney Gen-
eral shall establish procedures to ensure that 
any firearm is removed from any individual 
when the individual’s license is revoked under 
this paragraph. 
‘‘(D) RETURN OF FIREARMS.—A firearm 
removed under the procedures established under 
subparagraph (C) may be returned to the indi-
vidual only if the individual’s license is rein-
stated. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:40 Nov 08, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6154.IH
H6154
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(5) RENEWAL.—The Attorney General shall 
establish procedures for the renewal of a license that 
requires that the applicant satisfies the requirements 
described in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(6) ENROLLMENT IN RAP BACK.—The Attor-
ney General shall enroll each individual who is 
issued a license under this section in the Rap Back 
service. 
‘‘(c) RECORDKEEPING .—It shall be unlawful for any 
individual to sell or otherwise dispose of a firearm to a 
person unless the individual reports the transaction to the 
Attorney General not later than 3 business days after the 
date on which the firearm is sold or transferred, which 
shall include identifying information on the firearm seller 
and on the firearm transferee, including the make, model, 
and serial number. 
‘‘(d) STATE LICENSES.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subsection (a) shall not 
apply to an individual in a State if the Attorney 
General determines that the State has a process for 
issuing a State firearm license to eligible individuals 
in the State with substantially similar requirements 
to those described in subsection (b). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:40 Nov 08, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6154.IH
H6154
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(e) REGULATIONS.—The Attorney General may pro-
mulgate regulations that the Attorney General determines 
are necessary to carry out this section.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for such chapter is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘935. License for the acquisition or receipt of firearms.’’. 
SEC. 3. POINT-OF-SALE BACKGROUND CHECK. 
Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(aa) POINT-OF-SALE BACKGROUND CHECKS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—It shall be unlawful for any 
person who is not a licensed importer, licensed man-
ufacturer, or licensed dealer to transfer a firearm to 
any other person who is not so licensed, unless a li-
censed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed 
dealer has first taken possession of the firearm for 
the purpose of complying with subsection (t). 
‘‘(2) COMPLIANCE.—Upon taking possession of 
a firearm under paragraph (1), a licensee shall com-
ply with all requirements of this chapter as if the li-
censee were transferring the firearm from the inven-
tory of the licensee to the unlicensed transferee. 
‘‘(3) RETURN.—If a transfer of a firearm de-
scribed in paragraph (1) will not be completed for 
any reason after a licensee takes possession of the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:40 Nov 08, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6154.IH
H6154
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
firearm (including because the transfer of the fire-
arm to, or receipt of the firearm by, the transferee 
would violate this chapter), the return of the firearm 
to the transferor by the licensee shall not constitute 
the transfer of a firearm for purposes of this chap-
ter.’’. 
SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON TRANSFER TO CERTAIN UNLI-
CENSED PERSONS. 
Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, as 
amended by section 3 of this Act, is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(bb) PROHIBITION ON TRANSFER TO CERTAIN UN-
LICENSED PERSONS.—It shall be unlawful for any person 
to— 
‘‘(1) sell or otherwise dispose of a firearm to 
any person if such person does not have a license 
issued under section 935 or a substantially similar 
State law, as determined by the Attorney General, 
during the previous 30 days; or 
‘‘(2) fail to report to the relevant law enforce-
ment agencies the sale or disposal described in para-
graph (1).’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:40 Nov 08, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6154.IH
H6154
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB