I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3823 
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to update the definition 
of rifles, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 11, 2021 
Mr. GOOD of Virginia (for himself, Mrs. BOEBERT, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. BUDD, 
Mr. ROSENDALE, Mr. PERRY, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. GOODEN of Texas, Mr. 
HICE of Georgia, Mr. GAETZ, Mrs. HARSHBARGER, Mr. FULCHER, Mr. 
MCCLINTOCK, Mr. DAVIDSON, Mr. KELLER, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. HARRIS, 
and Mr. WEBER of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, 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 committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to update 
the definition of rifles, 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 ‘‘Protecting Individual 
Sovereignty Through Our Laws Act’’ or the ‘‘PISTOL 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. UPDATED RIFLE DEFINITION UNDER NATIONAL 
FIREARMS ACT. 
Section 5845(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) RIFLE.—The term ‘rifle’ means a weapon origi-
nally designed or redesigned, made or remade, and origi-
nally intended by its maker or manufacturer to be fired 
from the shoulder and designed or redesigned and made 
or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed 
cartridge to fire only a single projectile through a rifled 
bore for each single pull of the trigger, and shall include 
any such weapon which may be readily restored to fire 
a fixed cartridge. For purposes of the preceding sentence, 
such term shall not include a pistol equipped with a rear 
brace or rear attachment which can be used to assist the 
shooter in controlling the pistol, even if such brace or at-
tachment can also be placed against the shoulder.’’. 
SEC. 3. UPDATED PISTOL DEFINITION UNDER CODE OF 
FEDERAL REGULATIONS. 
Within 60 days of the date of the enactment of this 
section, the Attorney General shall amend subpart B of 
part 479 of subchapter B of chapter II of title 27, Code 
of Federal Regulations to clarify that a pistol has the fol-
lowing definition: 
‘‘Pistol. A concealable weapon originally designed, made, 
and intended to fire a projectile (bullet) from one or more 
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barrels when held by a user, and having (a) a chamber(s) 
that is an integral part of, or permanently aligned with, 
a bore(s); and (b) one or more short stocks designed to 
be gripped by the user with said stocks at an angle to 
and extending below the line of the bore(s). The presence 
or absence of rear mounted braces or attachments which 
can assist a user in controlling the pistol shall not cause 
a firearm that otherwise meets this definition from being 
considered a pistol.’’ 
Æ 
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