Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/boundvolumes/524bv.pdf
Page Number: 231

524us1$82Z 02-22-99 22:42:40 PAGES OPINPGT

186

BRYAN v. UNITED STATES

Opinion of the Court

Kent L. Jones argued the cause for the United States.
With him on the brief were Solicitor General Waxman, Act-
ing Assistant Attorney General Keeney, Deputy Solicitor
General Dreeben, and John F. De Pue.*

Justice Stevens delivered the opinion of the Court.
Petitioner was convicted of “willfully” dealing in ﬁre-
arms without a federal license. The question presented is
whether the term “willfully” in 18 U. S. C. § 924(a)(1)(D) re-
quires proof that the defendant knew that his conduct was
unlawful, or whether it also requires proof that he knew of
the federal licensing requirement.

I

In 1968 Congress enacted the Omnibus Crime Control and
Safe Streets Act.
In Title IV of that Act
Congress made ﬁndings concerning the impact of the trafﬁc
in ﬁrearms on the prevalence of lawlessness and violent
crime in the United States 1 and amended the Criminal Code

82 Stat. 197–239.

*Briefs of amici curiae urging reversal were ﬁled for the Gun Owners
Foundation by James H. Jeffries III and James H. Wentzel; and for the
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers by Barbara Bergman
and Stephen P. Halbrook.

1 “Sec. 901.
(a) The Congress hereby ﬁnds and declares—
“(1) that there is a widespread trafﬁc in ﬁrearms moving in or otherwise
affecting interstate or foreign commerce, and that the existing Federal
controls over such trafﬁc do not adequately enable the States to control
this trafﬁc within their own borders through the exercise of their police
power;

“(2) that the ease with which any person can acquire ﬁrearms other than
a riﬂe or shotgun (including criminals, juveniles without the knowledge
or consent of their parents or guardians, narcotics addicts, mental defec-
tives, armed groups who would supplant the functions of duly consti-
tuted public authorities, and others whose possession of such weapons
is similarly contrary to the public interest) is a signiﬁcant factor in the
prevalence of lawlessness and violent crime in the United States;

“(3) that only through adequate Federal control over interstate and for-
eign commerce in these weapons, and over all persons engaging in the
businesses of importing, manufacturing, or dealing in them, can this grave