I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 116
To apply equal standards to certain foreign made and domestically produced
handguns.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 7, 1997
Mr. CONYERS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To apply equal standards to certain foreign made and
domestically produced handguns.
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 ‘‘Gun Safety Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) the prohibition on the importation of hand-
guns that are not generally recognized as particu-
larly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting
purposes, often described as junk guns or Saturday
night specials, has led to the creation of a high-vol-
ume market for these weapons that are domestically
manufactured;
(2) traffic in junk guns constitutes a serious
threat to public welfare and to law enforcement offi-
cers, and the use of such firearms is increasing;
(3) junk guns are used disproportionately in the
commission of crimes;
(4) of the firearms traced in 1995, the 3 fire-
arms most commonly traced to crimes were junk
guns; and
(5) the domestic manufacture, transfer, and
possession of junk guns should be restricted.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION AGAINST TRANSFER OR POSSESSION
OF CERTAIN HANDGUNS.
(a) PROHIBITION.—Section 922 of title 18, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow-
ing:
‘‘(y)(1) It shall be unlawful for a person to transfer
or possess a junk gun that has been shipped or trans-
ported in interstate or foreign commerce.
‘‘(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to—
‘‘(A) the possession or transfer of a junk gun
otherwise lawfully possessed under Federal law on
the date of the enactment of the Gun Safety Act;
‘‘(B) any firearm or replica of a firearm that
has been rendered permanently inoperative;
‘‘(C) a transfer to or possession by the United
States or a State or a department or agency of the
United States, or a State or a department, agency,
or political subdivision of a State, or a transfer to
or possession by a law enforcement officer employed
by such an entity for law enforcement purposes
(whether on or off duty); or
‘‘(D) the transfer or possession of a junk gun
by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer for
the purposes of testing or experimentation author-
ized by the Secretary.’’.
(b) DEFINITION OF JUNK GUN.—Section 921(a) of
such title is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(34) The term ‘junk gun’ means any firearm that
is not described in section 925(d)(3) or any regulation is-
sued under such section.’’.
SEC. 4. FIREARMS AND CHILD SAFETY.
(a) PROHIBITION.—Section 922 of title 18, United
States Code, as amended by section 3(a) of this Act, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(z)(1) It shall be unlawful for a person to manufac-
ture or import a firearm that does not have as an integral
part a device or devices that—
‘‘(A) prevent a child of less than 7 years of age
from discharging the firearm by reason of the
amount of strength, dexterity, cognitive skill, or
other ability required to cause a discharge;
‘‘(B) prevent a firearm that has a removable
magazine from discharging when the magazine has
been removed; and
‘‘(C) in the case of a handgun other than a re-
volver, clearly indicate whether the magazine or
chamber contains a round of ammunition.
‘‘(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to
the manufacture or importation by or for the United
States or a department or agency thereof or a State or
a department, agency, or political subdivision thereof.’’.
(b) PENALTY.—Section 924(a)(5) of such title is
amended by striking ‘‘or (t)’’ and inserting ‘‘(t), or (z)’’.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall become effective on the date that is 1
year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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