I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 96 
To require criminal background checks on all firearms transactions occurring 
at events that provide a venue for the sale, offer for sale, transfer, 
or exchange of firearms, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 4, 2007 
Mr. CASTLE (for himself, Mr. SHAYS, and Mr. KIRK) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To require criminal background checks on all firearms trans-
actions occurring at events that provide a venue for 
the sale, offer for sale, transfer, or exchange of firearms, 
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 Loophole 
Closing Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 921(a) of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(36) SPECIAL FIREARMS EVENT.—The term ‘spe-
cial firearms event’— 
‘‘(A) means any event at which 75 or more fire-
arms are offered or exhibited for sale, exchange, or 
transfer, if 1 or more of the firearms has been 
shipped or transported in, or otherwise affects, inter-
state or foreign commerce; 
‘‘(B) does not include an offer or exhibit of fire-
arms for sale, exchange, or transfer by an individual 
from the personal collection of that individual, at the 
private residence of that individual, if the individual 
is not required to be licensed under section 923 or 
932; and 
‘‘(C) does not include an offer or exhibit of fire-
arms for sale, exchange, or transfer at events con-
ducted and attended by permanent or annual dues 
paying members, and their immediate family, of pri-
vate, not-for-profit organizations whose primary pur-
pose is owning and maintaining real property for the 
purpose of hunting activities. 
‘‘(37) SPECIAL FIREARMS EVENT LICENSEE.—The 
term ‘special firearms event licensee’ means any person 
who has obtained and holds a valid license in compliance 
with section 932(d) and who is authorized to contact the 
national instant criminal background check system on be-
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half of another individual, who is not licensed under this 
chapter, for the purpose of conducting a background check 
for a potential firearms transfer at a special firearms 
event in accordance with section 932(c). 
‘‘(38) SPECIAL FIREARMS EVENT VENDOR.—The 
term ‘special firearms event vendor’ means any person 
who is not required to be licensed under section 923 and 
who exhibits, sells, offers for sale, transfers, or exchanges 
1 or more firearms at a special firearms event, regardless 
of whether or not the person arranges with the special fire-
arms event promoter for a fixed location from which to 
exhibit, sell, offer for sale, transfer, or exchange 1 or more 
firearms.’’. 
SEC. 3. REGULATION OF FIREARMS TRANSFERS AT SPE-
CIAL FIREARMS EVENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 44 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 932. Regulation of firearms transfers at special 
firearms events 
‘‘(a) SPECIAL FIREARMS EVENTS OPERATORS.— 
‘‘(1) NOTIFICATION TO ATTORNEY GENERAL OF 
SPECIAL FIREARMS EVENT OPERATORS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—It shall be unlawful 
for any person to operate a special firearms 
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event unless that person notifies the Attorney 
General in accordance with regulations promul-
gated by the Attorney General. 
‘‘(B) FEES.—The Attorney General shall 
be prohibited from imposing or collecting any 
fee from special firearms event operators in 
connection with the notification requirement in 
subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(2) RESPONSIBILITIES OF SPECIAL FIREARMS 
EVENTS OPERATORS.—It shall be unlawful for a spe-
cial firearms events operator to organize, plan, pro-
mote, or operate a special firearms event unless that 
operator— 
‘‘(A) not later than 30 days before the 
commencement of the special firearms event, 
notifies the Attorney General, in writing, of the 
date, time, duration, and location of the special 
firearms event, and the special firearms event 
vendors planning to participate; 
‘‘(B) before the commencement of the spe-
cial firearms event, or in the case of a vendor 
who arrives after the commencement of the 
event, upon the arrival of the vendor, verifies 
the identity of each special firearms event ven-
dor participating in the special firearms event 
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by examining a valid identification document 
(as defined in section 1028(d)(3)) of the vendor 
containing a photograph of the vendor; 
‘‘(C) before the commencement of the spe-
cial firearms event, or in the case of a vendor 
who arrives after the commencement of the 
event, upon the arrival of the vendor, requires 
each special firearms event vendor to sign— 
‘‘(i) a ledger with identifying informa-
tion concerning the vendor; and 
‘‘(ii) a notice advising the vendor of 
the obligations of the vendor under this 
chapter; 
‘‘(D) notifies each person who attends the 
special firearms event of the requirements of 
this chapter, in accordance with such regula-
tions as the Attorney General shall prescribe; 
‘‘(E) not later than 5 days after the last 
day of the special firearms event, submits to the 
Attorney General a copy of the ledger and no-
tice described in subparagraph (C)(i); and 
‘‘(F) maintains a copy of the records de-
scribed in subparagraphs (B) and (C) at the 
permanent place of business of the operator for 
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pistols or revolvers, or any combination of pistols 
and revolvers totaling 2 or more, to the same non-
licensed person, in addition to the record keeping re-
quirements described in paragraph (4), prepare a re-
port of the multiple transfers, which report shall 
be— 
‘‘(A) on a form specified by the Attorney 
General; and 
‘‘(B) not later than the close of business 
on the date on which the multiple transfer oc-
curs, forwarded to— 
‘‘(i) the office specified on the form 
described in subparagraph (A); and 
‘‘(ii) the appropriate State law en-
forcement agency of the jurisdiction in 
which the transfer occurs; and 
‘‘(4) comply with all record keeping require-
ments under this chapter. 
‘‘(d) SPECIAL FIREARMS EVENT LICENSE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall 
issue a special firearms event license to a person 
who submits an application for a special firearms 
event license in accordance with this subsection. 
‘‘(2) APPLICATION.—The application required 
by paragraph (1) shall be approved if— 
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‘‘(A) the applicant is 21 years of age or 
over; 
‘‘(B) the application includes a photograph 
and the fingerprints of the applicant; 
‘‘(C) the applicant (including, in the case 
of a corporation, partnership, or association, 
any individual possessing, directly or indirectly, 
the power to direct or cause the direction of the 
management and policies of the corporation, 
partnership, or association) is not prohibited 
from transporting, shipping, or receiving fire-
arms or ammunition in interstate or foreign 
commerce under subsection (g) or (n) of section 
922; 
‘‘(D) the applicant has not willfully vio-
lated any of the provisions of this chapter or 
regulations issued thereunder; 
‘‘(E) the applicant has not willfully failed 
to disclose any material information required, 
or has not made any false statement as to any 
material fact, in connection with the applica-
tion; and 
‘‘(F) the applicant certifies that— 
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‘‘(i) the applicant meets the require-
ments of subparagraphs (A) through (D) 
of section 923(d)(1); 
‘‘(ii) the business to be conducted 
under the license is not prohibited by State 
or local law in the place where the licensed 
premises is located; and 
‘‘(iii) the business will not be con-
ducted under the license until the require-
ments of State and local law applicable to 
the business have been met. 
‘‘(3) APPLICATION AND APPROVAL.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Upon the approval of 
an application under this subsection and pay-
ment by the applicant of a fee of $200 for 3 
years, and upon renewal of a valid registration 
and payment of a fee of $90 for 3 years, the 
Attorney General shall issue to the applicant an 
instant check registration, and advise the Attor-
ney General of that registration. 
‘‘(B) NICS.—A special firearms event li-
censee may contact the national instant crimi-
nal background check system established under 
section 103 of the Brady Handgun Violence 
Prevention Act (18 U.S.C. 922 note) for infor-
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mation about any individual desiring to obtain 
a firearm at a special firearms event from any 
special firearms event vendor who has requested 
the assistance of the registrant in complying 
with subsection (c) with respect to the transfer 
of the firearm, during the 3-year period that 
begins on the date on which the registration is 
issued. 
‘‘(4) REQUIREMENTS.—The requirements for a 
special firearms event licensee shall not exceed the 
requirements for a licensed dealer and the record 
keeping requirements shall be the same. 
‘‘(5) RESTRICTIONS.— 
‘‘(A) BACKGROUND
CHECKS.—A special 
firearms event licensee may have access to the 
national instant criminal background check sys-
tem to conduct a background check only at a 
special firearms event and only on behalf of an-
other person. 
‘‘(B) TRANSFER OF FIREARMS.—A special 
firearms event licensee shall not transfer a fire-
arm at a special firearms event. 
‘‘(e) FIREARM TRANSACTION DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘firearm transaction’— 
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‘‘(1) includes the sale, offer for sale, transfer, 
or exchange of a firearm; and 
‘‘(2) does not include— 
‘‘(A) the mere exhibition of a firearm; or 
‘‘(B) the sale, transfer, or exchange of fire-
arms between immediate family members, in-
cluding parents, children, siblings, grand-
parents, and grandchildren.’’. 
(b) PENALTIES.—Section 924(a) of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(8)(A) Whoever knowingly violates section 932(a)(1) 
or 932(b)— 
‘‘(i) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned 
not more than 2 years, or both; and 
‘‘(ii) in the case of a second or subsequent con-
viction, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned 
not more than 5 years, or both. 
‘‘(B) Whoever knowingly violates section 932(a)(2) or 
932(c) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more 
than 5 years, or both. 
‘‘(C) Whoever knowingly violates section 932(a)(3) 
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 
2 years, or both. 
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‘‘(D) In addition to any other penalties imposed 
under this paragraph, the Attorney General may, with re-
spect to any person who violates any provision of section 
932— 
‘‘(i) if the person is registered pursuant to sec-
tion 932(a), after notice and opportunity for a hear-
ing, suspend for not more than 6 months or revoke 
the registration of that person under section 932(a); 
and 
‘‘(ii) impose a civil fine in an amount equal to 
not more than $10,000.’’. 
(c) UNLAWFUL ACTS.—Section 922(b) of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘or licensed collector’’ and in-
serting ‘‘licensed collector, or special firearms event li-
censee’’. 
(d) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
Chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, is amended 
in the chapter analysis, by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘932. Regulation of firearms transfers at special firearms events.’’. 
SEC. 
4. 
STATE 
OPTION 
FOR 
24-HOUR 
BACKGROUND 
CHECKS AT SPECIAL FIREARMS EVENTS FOR 
STATES 
WITH 
COMPUTERIZED 
DISQUALI-
FYING RECORDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Effective 3 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, a State may apply to the Attor-
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(3) the chief judicial officer of the State re-
quires the courts of the State to use the toll-free 
telephone number described in subsection (d)(1) to 
immediately notify the National Instant Criminal 
Background Check System each time a restraining 
order (as described in section 922(g)(8) of title 18, 
United States Code) is issued, lifted, or otherwise 
removed by order of the court. 
(c) CLARIFICATIONS.— 
(1) DISQUALIFYING
INFORMATION.—Disquali-
fying information for each State under subsection 
(b) shall include the disqualifying records for that 
State generated during the 30 years preceding the 
date of application to the Attorney General for cer-
tification. 
(2) TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER.—Upon a 
showing by the State that a court of the State has 
developed computer systems which permit the court 
to immediately electronically notify the National In-
stant Criminal Background Check System with re-
spect to the issuance or lifting of restraining orders, 
the use of the toll-free telephone number described 
in subsection (d)(1) shall no longer be required 
under subsection (b)(3). 
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(d) NOTIFICATION INFRASTRUCTURE.—Before certi-
fying any State under subsection (b), the Attorney Gen-
eral shall— 
(1) create a toll-free telephone number through 
which State and local courts may immediately notify 
the National Instant Background Check System 
whenever a restraining order (as described in section 
922(g)(8) of title 18, United States Code) is issued, 
lifted, or otherwise removed by order of the court; 
and 
(2) encourage States to develop computer sys-
tems that permit courts to immediately electronically 
notify the National Instant Criminal Background 
Check System whenever a restraining order (as de-
scribed in section 922(g)(8) of title 18, United 
States Code) has been issued, lifted, or otherwise re-
moved by order of the court. 
(e) 24-HOUR PROVISION.—Upon certification by the 
Attorney General, the 24-hour provision in section 
932(c)(2) of title 18, United States Code, shall apply to 
the verification process (for transfers between unlicensed 
persons) in that State unless additional information is re-
quired in order to verify disqualifying information from 
a State that has not been certified by the Attorney Gen-
eral, in which case the 3 business day limit shall apply. 
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(f) ANNUAL REVIEW.—The Director of the Bureau 
of Justice Statistics shall annually review the certifications 
under this section. 
(g) REVOCATION.—The Attorney General shall re-
voke the certification required under this section for any 
State that is not in compliance with subsection (b). 
SEC. 5. INSPECTION AUTHORITY. 
Section 923(g)(1)(B), of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘or licensed dealer’’ and inserting 
‘‘licensed dealer, or special firearms event operator’’. 
SEC. 6. INCREASED PENALTIES FOR SERIOUS RECORD-
KEEPING VIOLATIONS BY LICENSEES. 
Section 924(a)(3) of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(3)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), any 
licensed dealer, licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, 
licensed collector, or special firearms event licensee who 
knowingly makes any false statement or representation 
with respect to the information required by this chapter 
to be kept in the records of a person licensed under this 
chapter, or violates section 922(m) shall be fined under 
this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both. 
‘‘(B) If the violation described in subparagraph (A) 
is in relation to an offense— 
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‘‘(i) under paragraph (1) or (3) of section 
922(b), such person shall be fined under this title, 
imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both; or 
‘‘(ii) under subsection (a)(6) or (d) of section 
922, such person shall be fined under this title, im-
prisoned not more than 10 years, or both.’’. 
SEC. 7. INCREASED PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF CRIMI-
NAL BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIREMENTS. 
Section 924(a) of title 18, United States Code, as 
amended by section 3(b) of this Act, is further amended— 
(1) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘subsection 
(s) or (t) of section 922’’ and inserting ‘‘section 
922(s)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(9) Whoever knowingly violates section 922(t) shall 
be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 
years, or both.’’. 
SEC. 8. RULE OF INTERPRETATION. 
A provision of State law is not inconsistent with this 
Act or an amendment made by this Act if the provision 
imposes a regulation or prohibition of greater scope or a 
penalty of greater severity than any prohibition or penalty 
imposed by this Act or an amendment made by this Act. 
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SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall 
take effect 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
Æ 
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