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529US3

Unit: $U61

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JONES v. UNITED STATES

Opinion of the Court

Constitution, Art. I, § 8, cl. 3. Courts of Appeals have di-
vided both on the question whether § 844(i) applies to build-
ings not used for commercial purposes,2 and on the constitu-
tionality of such an application.3 We granted certiorari, 528
U. S. 1002 (1999), and framed as the question presented:

“Whether, in light of United States v. Lopez, 514 U. S.
549 (1995), and the interpretive rule that constitution-
ally doubtful constructions should be avoided, see Ed-
ward J. DeBartolo Corp. v. Florida Gulf Coast Build-
ing & Constr. Trades Council, 485 U. S. 568, 575 (1988),
18 U. S. C. § 844(i) applies to the arson of a private resi-
dence; and if so, whether its application to the private
residence in the present case is constitutional.”

Satisﬁed that § 844(i) does not reach an owner-occupied resi-
dence that is not used for any commercial purpose, we re-
verse the Court of Appeals’ judgment.

II

Congress enacted 18 U. S. C. § 844(i) as part of Title XI of
the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, Pub. L. 91–452,
§ 1102, 84 Stat. 952, “because of the need ‘to curb the use,
transportation, and possession of explosives.’ ” Russell v.

2 Compare United States v. Gaydos, 108 F. 3d 505 (CA3 1997) (vacant,
uninhabitable house formerly rented not covered by statute), United
States v. Denalli, 73 F. 3d 328 (CA11) (owner-occupied residence not cov-
ered), modiﬁed on other grounds, 90 F. 3d 444 (1996) (per curiam), United
States v. Mennuti, 639 F. 2d 107 (CA2 1981) (same), with United States v.
Ryan, 41 F. 3d 361 (CA8 1994) (en banc) (vacant former commercial prop-
erty covered), cert. denied, 514 U. S. 1082 (1995), United States v. Ramey,
24 F. 3d 602 (CA4 1994) (owner-occupied residence covered), cert. denied,
514 U. S. 1103 (1995), and United States v. Stillwell, 900 F. 2d 1104 (CA7)
(same), cert. denied, 498 U. S. 838 (1990).

3 Compare United States v. Pappadopoulos, 64 F. 3d 522 (CA9 1995)
(application to owner-occupied residence unconstitutional), with 178 F. 3d
479 (CA7 1999) (decision below), and Ramey, 24 F. 3d, at 602 (application
constitutional).