I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5398 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to increase the age at which a 
rifle or shotgun may be acquired from a federally licensed firearms 
dealer, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 22, 2018 
Mr. DEUTCH (for himself, Mr. THOMAS J. ROONEY of Florida, Mr. CRIST, 
Mr. CURBELO of Florida, Mr. KING of New York, and Ms. JAYAPAL) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to increase the 
age at which a rifle or shotgun may be acquired from 
a federally licensed firearms dealer, and for other pur-
poses. 
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 ‘‘21 to Buy Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. INCREASE IN AGE AT WHICH A RIFLE OR SHOTGUN 
MAY BE ACQUIRED FROM A FEDERALLY LI-
CENSED FIREARMS DEALER. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 922(b) of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(1) any firearm or ammunition to any indi-
vidual who the licensee knows or has reasonable 
cause to believe has not attained 21 years of age, 
unless the individual is— 
‘‘(A) a law enforcement officer; 
‘‘(B) a correctional officer; 
‘‘(C) on active duty in the Armed Forces 
of the United States, or full-time duty in the 
National Guard; or 
‘‘(D) a member of the Armed Forces of the 
United States or the National Guard who pos-
sesses or is armed with a firearm in the line of 
duty;’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 922(c)(1) 
of such title is amended by striking ‘‘, or that, in the case 
of a shotgun or a rifle, I am eighteen years or more of 
age’’ and inserting ‘‘or am a law enforcement officer, a 
correctional officer, on active duty in the Armed Forces 
of the United States or full-time duty in the National 
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Guard, or a member of the Armed Forces of the United 
States or the National Guard who possesses or is armed 
with a firearm in the line of duty’’. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—Section 921(a) of such title is 
amended by inserting after paragraph (29) the following: 
‘‘(30) The term ‘law enforcement officer’ means a 
person— 
‘‘(A) who is elected, appointed, or employed by 
the Federal Government or by a State or political 
subdivision thereof; 
‘‘(B) who is vested with authority to bear arms 
and make arrests; and 
‘‘(C) whose primary responsibility is the preven-
tion and detection of crime or the enforcement of the 
penal, criminal, traffic, or highway laws, 
including any supervisory or command personnel whose 
duties include the supervision, training, guidance, or man-
agement of any such person. 
‘‘(31) The term ‘correctional officer’ means a per-
son— 
‘‘(A) who is appointed or employed by the Fed-
eral Government or by a State or political subdivi-
sion thereof, and whose primary responsibility is the 
supervision, protection, care, custody, and control, or 
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investigation, of inmates of a correctional institution; 
or 
‘‘(B) who is employed by any private entity that 
has contracted with the Federal Government or a 
State or political subdivision thereof, and who has 
such a primary responsibility.’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to conduct engaged in after the 
6-month period that begins with the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
Æ 
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