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Military Sniper Weapon Regulation Act of 2001
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 505 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to regulate certain
50 caliber sniper weapons in the same manner as machine guns and other
firearms and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
Mrs. FEINSTEIN (D-CA), for herself, Mr. SCHUMER (D-NY), and Mr. KENNEDY
(D-MA) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Finance
A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to regulate certain 50
caliber sniper weapons in the same manner as machine guns and other
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 `Military Sniper Weapon Regulation Act of
2001'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) certain firearms originally designed and built for use as long-range
50 caliber military sniper weapons are increasingly sold in the domestic
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 such
components of the national critical infrastructure as radars 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; and
(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 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) 50 CALIBER SNIPER WEAPON-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 5845 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is
amended by redesignating subsections (d) through (m) as subsections (e)
through (n), respectively, and by inserting after subsection (c) the
following new subsection:
`(d) 50 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-Subsection (c) of section 5845
of such Code is amended by inserting `or from a bipod or other support'
after `shoulder'.
(3) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Section 5811(a) of such Code is amended by
striking `section 5845(e)' and inserting `section 5845(f)'.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
Note: Depending upon intrepretation, proposed subsection (d) of section 5845 could ban all .50 caliber centerfire weapons.
My personal opinion of this proposal is it is prior restraint not justified by evidence of abuse or misuse of arms currently in civilian hands. JH
Uploaded: 3/14/2001
Uploaded: 3/14/2001