I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 260
To extend Brady background checks to gun shows, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 8, 2003
Mr. CONYERS (for himself, Mr. NADLER, Mr. ACKERMAN, Ms. CORRINE 
BROWN of Florida, Mr. DELAHUNT, Ms. KILPATRICK, Ms. LEE, Mr. 
MARKEY, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. 
FATTAH, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Ms. 
LOFGREN, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. 
FRANK of Massachusetts, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. STARK, Mr. 
BERMAN, Mr. DAVIS of Florida, Mr. CLAY, Ms. NORTON, Mr. HOLT, Mr. 
GUTIERREZ, and Mr. MCDERMOTT) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To extend Brady background checks to gun shows, 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 ‘‘Gun Show Background 
Check Act of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that—
(1) more than 4,400 traditional gun shows are 
held annually across the United States, attracting 
thousands of attendees per show and hundreds of 
Federal firearms licensees and nonlicensed firearms 
sellers; 
(2) traditional gun shows, as well as flea mar-
kets and other organized events, at which a large 
number of firearms are offered for sale by Federal 
firearms licensees and nonlicensed firearms sellers, 
form a significant part of the national firearms mar-
ket; 
(3) firearms and ammunition that are exhibited 
or offered for sale or exchange at gun shows, flea 
markets, and other organized events move easily in 
and substantially affect interstate commerce; 
(4) in fact, even before a firearm is exhibited or 
offered for sale or exchange at a gun show, flea mar-
ket, or other organized event, the gun, its component 
parts, ammunition, and the raw materials from 
which it is manufactured have moved in interstate 
commerce; 
(5) gun shows, flea markets, and other orga-
nized events at which firearms are exhibited or of-
fered for sale or exchange, provide a convenient and 
centralized commercial location at which firearms
may be bought and sold anonymously, often without 
background checks and without records that enable 
gun tracing; 
(6) at gun shows, flea markets, and other orga-
nized events at which guns are exhibited or offered 
for sale or exchange, criminals and other prohibited 
persons obtain guns without background checks and 
frequently use guns that cannot be traced to later 
commit crimes; 
(7) many persons who buy and sell firearms at 
gun shows, flea markets, and other organized events 
cross State lines to attend these events and engage 
in the interstate transportation of firearms obtained 
at these events; 
(8) gun violence is a pervasive, national prob-
lem that is exacerbated by the availability of guns at 
gun shows, flea markets, and other organized events; 
(9) firearms associated with gun shows have 
been transferred illegally to residents of another 
State by Federal firearms licensees and nonlicensed 
firearms sellers, and have been involved in subse-
quent crimes including drug offenses, crimes of vio-
lence, property crimes, and illegal possession of fire-
arms by felons and other prohibited persons; and
(10) Congress has the power, under the inter-
state commerce clause and other provisions of the 
Constitution of the United States, to ensure, by en-
actment of this Act, that criminals and other prohib-
ited persons do not obtain firearms at gun shows, 
flea markets, and other organized events. 
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF BRADY BACKGROUND CHECKS TO 
GUN SHOWS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 921(a) of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(35) GUN SHOW.—The term ‘gun show’ means any 
event—
‘‘(A) at which 50 or more firearms are offered 
or exhibited for sale, transfer, or exchange, if 1 or 
more of the firearms has been shipped or trans-
ported in, or otherwise affects, interstate or foreign 
commerce; and 
‘‘(B) at which—
‘‘(i) not less than 20 percent of the exhibi-
tors are firearm exhibitors; 
‘‘(ii) there are not less than 10 firearm ex-
hibitors; or 
‘‘(iii) 50 or more firearms are offered for 
sale, transfer, or exchange.
‘‘(36) GUN SHOW PROMOTER.—The term ‘gun show 
promoter’ means any person who organizes, plans, pro-
motes, or operates a gun show. 
‘‘(37) GUN SHOW VENDOR.—The term ‘gun show 
vendor’ means any person who exhibits, sells, offers for 
sale, transfers, or exchanges 1 or more firearms at a gun 
show, regardless of whether or not the person arranges 
with the gun show promoter for a fixed location from 
which to exhibit, sell, offer for sale, transfer, or exchange 
1 or more firearms.’’. 
(b) REGULATION OF FIREARMS TRANSFERS AT GUN 
SHOWS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 44 of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘§ 931. Regulation of firearms transfers at gun shows 
‘‘(a) REGISTRATION OF GUN SHOW PROMOTERS.—
It shall be unlawful for any person to organize, plan, pro-
mote, or operate a gun show unless that person— 
‘‘(1) registers with the Secretary in accordance 
with regulations promulgated by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(2) pays a registration fee, in an amount de-
termined by the Secretary.
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITIES
OF
GUN
SHOW
PRO-
MOTERS.—It shall be unlawful for any person to organize, 
plan, promote, or operate a gun show unless that person— 
‘‘(1) before commencement of the gun show, 
verifies the identity of each gun show vendor partici-
pating in the gun show by examining a valid identi-
fication document (as defined in section 1028(d)(1)) 
of the vendor containing a photograph of the vendor; 
‘‘(2) before commencement of the gun show, re-
quires each gun show vendor to sign— 
‘‘(A) a ledger with identifying information 
concerning the vendor; and 
‘‘(B) a notice advising the vendor of the 
obligations of the vendor under this chapter; 
‘‘(3) notifies each person who attends the gun 
show of the requirements of this chapter, in accord-
ance with such regulations as the Secretary shall 
prescribe; and 
‘‘(4) maintains a copy of the records described 
in paragraphs (1) and (2) at the permanent place of 
business of the gun show promoter for such period 
of time and in such form as the Secretary shall re-
quire by regulation. 
‘‘(c) RESPONSIBILITIES
OF TRANSFERORS OTHER 
THAN LICENSEES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If any part of a firearm 
transaction takes place at a gun show, it shall be 
unlawful for any person who is not licensed under 
this chapter to transfer a firearm to another person 
who is not licensed under this chapter, unless the 
firearm is transferred through a licensed importer, 
licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer in accord-
ance with subsection (e). 
‘‘(2) CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS.—A per-
son who is subject to the requirement of paragraph 
(1)—
‘‘(A) shall not transfer the firearm to the 
transferee until the licensed importer, licensed 
manufacturer, or licensed dealer through which 
the transfer is made under subsection (e) 
makes the notification described in subsection 
(e)(3)(A); and 
‘‘(B) notwithstanding subparagraph (A), 
shall not transfer the firearm to the transferee 
if the licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, 
or licensed dealer through which the transfer is 
made under subsection (e) makes the notifica-
tion described in subsection (e)(3)(B). 
‘‘(3) ABSENCE OF RECORDKEEPING REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Nothing in this section shall permit or au-