[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 935 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 935
To regulate .50 caliber sniper weapons designed for the taking of human
life and the destruction of materiel, including armored vehicles and
components of the Nation's critical infrastructure.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 28, 2005
Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Corzine, and Mr. Durbin) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To regulate .50 caliber sniper weapons designed for the taking of human
life and the destruction of materiel, including armored vehicles and
components of the Nation's critical infrastructure.
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 ``Fifty Caliber Sniper Weapons
Regulation Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Certain firearms originally designed and built for use
as long-range .50 caliber military sniper weapons are
increasingly being sold in the United States civilian market.
(2) The intended use of these long-range firearms, and an
increasing number of models derived directly from them, is the
taking of human life and the destruction of materiel, including
armored vehicles and components of the national critical
infrastructure, such as radar and microwave transmission
devices.
(3) These firearms are neither designed nor used in any
significant number for legitimate sporting or hunting purposes
and are clearly distinguishable from rifles intended for
sporting and hunting use.
(4) Extraordinarily destructive ammunition for these
weapons, including armor-piercing and armor-piercing incendiary
ammunition, is freely sold in interstate commerce.
(5) The virtually unrestricted availability of these
firearms and ammunition, given the uses intended in their
design and manufacture, present a serious and substantial
threat to the national security.
SEC. 3. COVERAGE OF .50 CALIBER SNIPER WEAPONS UNDER THE NATIONAL
FIREARMS ACT.
(a) In General.--Section 5845(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 (defining firearm) is amended by striking ``(6) a machine gun; (7)
any silencer (as defined in section 921 of title 18, United States
Code); and (8) a destructive device.'' and inserting ``(6) a .50
caliber sniper weapon; (7) a machine gun; (8) any silencer (as defined
in section 921 of title 18, United States Code); and (9) a destructive
device.''.
(b) Definitions.--
(1) In general.--Section 5845 the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 (defining terms relating to firearms) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(n) Fifty Caliber Sniper Weapon.--The term `.50 caliber sniper
weapon' means a rifle capable of firing a center-fire cartridge in .50
caliber, .50 BMG caliber, any other variant of .50 caliber, or any
metric equivalent of such calibers.''.
(2) Modification to definition of rifle.--Section 5845(c)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (defining rifle) is
amended by inserting ``or from a bipod or other support'' after
``shoulder''.
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall only apply to a .50 caliber
sniper weapon made or transferred after the date of enactment of this
Act.
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