I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2386
To save the lives of police officers.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 21, 1995
Mr. SCHUMER (by request) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To save the lives of police officers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PROTECTING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS’
LIVES.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Saving Police Officers’ Lives Act of 1995’’.
(b) DEFINITION
OF ARMOR PIERCING AMMUNI-
TION.—Section 921(a)(17)(B) of title 18, United States
Code, is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of clause (i);
(2) by striking the period at the end of clause
(ii) and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(iii) a projectile that may be used in
a handgun and that the Secretary deter-
mines pursuant to the procedure specified
in subsection (c) to be capable of penetrat-
ing body armor.’’.
(c) DETERMINATION OF THE CAPABILITY OF PRO-
JECTILES TO PENETRATE BODY ARMOR.—Section 926 of
such title is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(d)(1) The Secretary shall determine whether a pro-
jectile is capable of penetrating body armor, in accordance
with regulations which the Secretary may prescribe in ac-
cordance with the procedures set forth in subsection (c).
Such regulations shall provide for uniform testing of pro-
jectiles against the Body Armor Exemplar, based on
standards developed by the Secretary in consultation with
representatives of Federal, State, county, and local law en-
forcement agencies selected by the Secretary.
‘‘(2) As used in paragraph (1), the term ‘Body Armor
Exemplar’ means body armor that the Secretary in con-
junction with representatives of Federal, State, county,
and local law enforcement selected by the Secretary, rep-
resentatives of the industry involved in the manufacture
of ammunition and the manufacture of articles of protec-
tive gear, generally known as bulletproof vests, selected
by the Secretary and the research community selected by
the Secretary, determines meets minimum standards for
protection of law enforcement officers.’’.
(d) PROCEDURES.—The Secretary is authorized to
promulgate such regulations as the Secretary deems nec-
essary to carry out the intent of this Act, upon a finding
for which the Secretary shall make an administrative
record, that any ammunition, the manufacture or importa-
tion of which would be prohibited under such regulation,
serves no substantial sporting purpose and serves pri-
marily to kill human beings. Before promulgating any
such regulation, the Secretary shall—
(1) consult with representatives of organizations
representing the sporting use of firearms, which the
Secretary shall select;
(2) consult with appropriate representatives of
Federal, State, county, and local law enforcement,
which the Secretary shall select;
(3) consult with appropriate representatives of
the industry involved in the manufacture of ammuni-
tion and the manufacture of articles of protective
gear generally known as bulletproof vests, which the
Secretary shall select; and
(4) consult with appropriate members of the
ammunition and protective gear research commu-
nity, which the Secretary shall select.
No regulation promulgated pursuant to this section shall
take effect until ten days after the Secretary shall have
caused it to be published in the Federal Register and
caused it to be delivered to the Senate and the House of
Representatives during which time the Congress may act
to repudiate such regulation.
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