I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5286 
To impose a 60-day moratorium on the transfer or receipt of an assault 
rifle, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2018 
Mr. MAST (for himself, Ms. GABBARD, and Mr. KING of New York) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Ju-
diciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To impose a 60-day moratorium on the transfer or receipt 
of an assault rifle, 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 Violence Preven-
tion Reform Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
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(1) On March 11, 2018, President Donald 
Trump announced a commission on school safety. 
(2) The Federal Bureau of Investigation, hav-
ing been alerted twice, failed to identify the threat 
posed by Nikolas Cruz. 
(3) The Broward County Sheriff’s Office, hav-
ing sent law enforcement officers to Nikolas Cruz’s 
home 39 times, failed to identify him as a threat. 
(4) At least 3 State agencies, having inves-
tigated Nikolas Cruz, failed to identify him as a 
threat. 
(5) Mental illness was identified in Nikolas 
Cruz, but he was still sold a gas-operated semiauto-
matic rifle. 
(6) Nikolas Cruz, who had been expelled by 
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was still 
able to enter the school’s campus on February 14, 
2018 in possession of a gas-operated semiautomatic 
rifle. 
(7) Broward County Sheriff’s deputies, who 
have received extensive tactical training and were in 
possession of body armor and firearms, were para-
lyzed from executing an assault on 18-year-old 
Nikolas Cruz in possession of a gas-operated semi-
automatic rifle. 
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(8) President Donald Trump proposed a ban on 
the rifle accessory known as a ‘‘bump stock’’. 
(9) President Donald Trump called on Members 
of Congress to draft legislation that would require 
background checks for all firearm sales. 
(10) President Donald Trump called on Mem-
bers of Congress to draft legislation raising the age 
of all firearm purchasers to 21 years of age. 
(11) A gas-operated semiautomatic rifle was the 
weapon of choice for Nikolas Cruz, who killed 17 
people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, 
Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018. 
(12) A gas-operated semiautomatic rifle was the 
weapon of choice for Stephen Paddock, who killed 
58 people at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival 
in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 1, 2017. 
(13) A gas-operated semiautomatic rifle was the 
weapon of choice for Omar Mateen, who killed 49 
people at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, 
on June 12, 2016. 
(14) Congress is developing legislation to pro-
vide behavioral detection training to those selling 
firearms. 
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(15) Congress is developing legislation to pro-
vide funds for strengthening school security and 
physical security infrastructure. 
(16) Individuals adjudicated as posing a threat 
to themselves or others should not be permitted to 
purchase firearms. 
(17) A system of due process must be estab-
lished to ensure that citizens are not deprived of 
their Second Amendment rights. 
(18) Americans have declining faith in the sys-
tem of checks designed to preclude future sales of 
firearms to those who were clearly deemed a threat. 
SEC. 3. MORATORIUM ON THE TRANSFER OR RECEIPT OF 
AN ASSAULT RIFLE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—During the 60-day period that be-
gins with the day after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, it shall be unlawful for any person to transfer or re-
ceive an assault rifle. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ASSAULT RIFLE.—The term ‘‘assault rifle’’ 
means a gas-operated semiautomatic firearm with a 
rifled bore. 
(2) GAS-OPERATED.—The term ‘‘gas-operated’’ 
means, with respect to a firearm, that the firearm 
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uses a portion of gas of a firing cartridge to extract 
the fired cartridge case and chamber the next round. 
(3) SEMIAUTOMATIC.—The term ‘‘semiauto-
matic’’ means, with respect to a firearm, that the 
firearm is a repeating firearm that utilizes a portion 
of the energy of a firing cartridge to extract the 
fired cartridge case and chamber the next round, 
and that requires a separate pull of the trigger to 
fire each cartridge. 
(4) RIFLED
BORE.—The term ‘‘rifled bore’’ 
means, with respect to a firearm, that the firearm 
is designed or made to spin a fired projectile. 
(5) FIREARM.—The term ‘‘firearm’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 921(a)(3) of title 
18, United States Code. 
(c) PENALTIES.—Whoever knowingly violates sub-
section (a) shall be subject to the penalties provided for 
in section 924(a)(1) of title 18, United States Code. 
(d) PRESIDENTIAL WAIVER.—The President of the 
United States may extend the moratorium established by 
subsection (a) until the earlier of— 
(1) 30 days after the date of the submission of 
the report required by section 4; or 
(2) October 1, 2020. 
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SEC. 4. REPORT TO THE CONGRESS. 
Within 30 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and 
the Deputy Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
Firearms, and Explosives shall jointly submit a written re-
port to the Congress that— 
(1) recommends a legal definition of assault 
weapon, including classifying firearms based on 
lethality; and 
(2) makes such other policy recommendations 
relating to firearms as are appropriate in the inter-
est of public health. 
Æ 
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