Title: Trafficking Reduction And Criminal Enforcement (TRACE) Act
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Trafficking Reduction And Criminal Enforcement (TRACE) Act
This bill modifies provisions related to firearms tracing.
First, the bill directs the Department of Justice to promulgate regulations that require each firearm manufactured in the United States to be marked with a serial number that is located inside the firearm's receiver or that is visible only in infrared light, in addition to the serial number mark otherwise required.
Next, it requires National Instant Criminal Background Check System records to be maintained for at least 180 days.
The bill also requires each licensed firearms dealer to conduct a physical check of their firearms business inventory.
Finally, it removes limitations on the use of firearms tracing data by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4255 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4255

    To prevent the illegal sale of firearms, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 9, 2019

 Mr. Quigley introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To prevent the illegal sale of firearms, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Trafficking Reduction And Criminal 
Enforcement (TRACE) Act''.

SEC. 2. REGULATORY REQUIREMENT TO MARK FIREARMS WITH SECOND, HIDDEN 
              SERIAL NUMBER.

    (a) In General.--Within 12 months after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Attorney General shall promulgate final regulations 
that require each firearm manufactured in the United States on or after 
the effective date of the regulation, to be marked with a serial number 
that is located inside the receiver of the firearm or that is visible 
only in infrared light, in addition to the serial number with which the 
firearm is otherwise required by law to be marked.
    (b) Definition of Receiver.--Section 921(a) of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) by inserting ``, including an unfinished frame 
                or receiver'' after ``such weapon''; and
                    (B) by striking ``or (D) any destructive device'' 
                and inserting ``; (D) any destructive device; or (E) 
                any combination of parts designed or intended for use 
                in converting any device into a firearm and from which 
                a firearm may be readily assembled'';
            (2) in paragraph (10)--
                    (A) by striking ``and the'' and inserting ``the''; 
                and
                    (B) by inserting ``; and the term `manufacturing 
                firearms' shall include assembling a functional firearm 
                from a frame or receiver or molding, machining, or 3D 
                printing a frame or receiver, and shall not include 
                making or fitting special barrels, stocks, or trigger 
                mechanisms to firearms'' before the period; and
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (29) the following:
            ``(30) The term `frame or receiver'--
                    ``(A) means the part of a firearm that can provide 
                the action or housing for the hammer, bolt, or 
                breechblock and firing mechanism;
                    ``(B) includes a frame or lower receiver blank, 
                casting, or machined body that requires further 
                machining or molding to be used as part of a functional 
                firearm, and which is designed and intended to be used 
                in the assembly of a functional firearm; and
                    ``(C) does not include a piece of material that has 
                had--
                            ``(i) its size or external shape altered 
                        solely to facilitate transportation or storage; 
                        or
                            ``(ii) solely its chemical composition 
                        altered.''.

SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT TO PRESERVE INSTANT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK 
              RECORDS FOR 180 DAYS.

    (a) In General.--Section 922(t)(2)(C) of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting ``after the 180-day period that begins 
with the date the system complies with subparagraphs (A) and (B),'' 
before ``destroy''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 511 of division B of the 
Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (34 U.S.C. 
40901 note; Public Law 112-55; 125 Stat. 632) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``for--'' and all that follows through 
        ``(1)''; and
            (2) by striking the semicolon and all that follows and 
        inserting a period.
    (c) Regulations.--Within 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Attorney General shall prescribe regulations to 
implement the amendments made by this section.

SEC. 4. REQUIREMENT THAT LICENSED FIREARMS DEALERS CONDUCT PHYSICAL 
              CHECK OF THEIR FIREARMS BUSINESS INVENTORY.

    (a) In General.--Section 923(g) of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(8) Each licensee shall conduct a physical check of the firearms 
inventory of the business of the licensee licensed under this chapter, 
in accordance with regulations which shall be prescribed by the 
Attorney General.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The matter under the heading ``Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives--salaries and expenses'' in 
title II of division B of the Consolidated and Further Continuing 
Appropriations Act, 2013 (18 U.S.C. 923 note; Public Law 113-6; 127 
Stat. 247-248) is amended by striking the 5th proviso.
    (c) Regulations.--Within 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Attorney General shall prescribe regulations to 
implement section 923(g)(8) of title 18, United States Code.

SEC. 5. ELIMINATION OF LIMITATIONS ON USE OF GUN TRACE INFORMATION.

    (a) Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012.--
The matter under the heading ``Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and 
Explosives--salaries and expenses'' in title II of division B of the 
Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (18 U.S.C. 
923 note; Public Law 112-55; 125 Stat. 609-610) is amended by striking 
the 1st and 6th provisos.
    (b) Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010.--The 6th proviso under 
the heading ``Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives--
salaries and expenses'' in title II of division B of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2010 (18 U.S.C. 923 note; Public Law 111-117; 123 
Stat. 3128-3129) is amended by striking ``beginning in fiscal year 2010 
and thereafter'' and inserting ``in fiscal year 2010''.
    (c) Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009.--The 6th proviso under the 
heading ``Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives--salaries 
and expenses'' in title II of division B of the Omnibus Appropriations 
Act, 2009 (18 U.S.C. 923 note; Public Law 111-8; 123 Stat. 574-576) is 
amended by striking ``beginning in fiscal year 2009 and thereafter'' 
and inserting ``in fiscal year 2009''.
    (d) Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008.--The 6th proviso under 
the heading ``Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives--
salaries and expenses'' in title II of division B of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2008 (18 U.S.C. 923 note; Public Law 110-161; 121 
Stat. 1903-1904) is amended by striking ``beginning in fiscal year 2008 
and thereafter'' and inserting ``in fiscal year 2008''.
    (e) Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2006.--The 6th proviso under the heading ``Bureau 
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives--salaries and expenses'' 
in title I of the Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 (18 U.S.C. 923 note; Public Law 109-
108; 119 Stat. 2295-2296) is amended by striking ``with respect to any 
fiscal year''.
    (f) Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005.--The 6th proviso under 
the heading ``Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives--
salaries and expenses'' in title I of division B of the Science, State, 
Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2005 (18 
U.S.C. 923 note; Public Law 108-447; 118 Stat. 2859) is amended by 
striking ``with respect to any fiscal year''.
    (g) Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003.--Section 644 of 
division J of the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 (5 
U.S.C. 552 note; Public Law 108-7; 117 Stat. 473-474) is amended by 
striking ``or any other Act with respect to any fiscal year''.
                                 <all>