HR 1403
  104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
  To regulate handgun ammunition, and for other purposes.
                     IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                              April 5, 1995
  Mr. Kennedy of Massachusetts introduced the following bill; which
      was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
                                 A BILL
  To regulate handgun ammunition, 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 `Ammunition Safety Act of 1995'.
  SEC. 2. DEALERS OF AMMUNITION.
    (a) Definition: Section 921(a)(11)(A) of title 18, United States
  Code, is amended by inserting `or ammunition' after `firearms'.
    (b) Licensing: Section 923(a) of title 18, United States Code, is
  amended--
        (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking `or
      importing or manufacturing ammunition' and inserting `or
      importing, manufacturing, or dealing in ammunition'; and
        (2) in paragraph (3)--
            (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking `or' the last place
          it appears;
            (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the
          end and inserting `; or'; and
            (C) by inserting the following new subparagraph:
        `(C) in ammunition other than ammunition for destructive
      devices, $10 per year.'.
    (c) Unlawful Acts: Section 922(a)(1)(A) of title 18, United
  States Code, is amended--
        (1) in paragraph (1)--
            (A) in subparagraph (A)--
                (i) by inserting `or ammunition' after `firearms'; and
                (ii) by inserting `or ammunition' after `firearm'; and
            (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking `or licensed
          manufacturer' and inserting `licensed manufacturer, or
          licensed dealer';
        (2) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph
      (A), by inserting `or ammunition' after `firearm';
        (3) in paragraph (3), by inserting `or ammunition' after
      `firearm' the first place it appears;
        (4) in paragraph (5), by inserting `or ammunition' after
      `firearm' the first place it appears; and
        (5) in paragraph (9), by inserting `or ammunition' after
      `firearms'.
    (d) Penalties: Section 924 of title 18, United States Code, is
  amended--
        (1) in paragraph (5)--
            (A) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking `1 year' and
          inserting `2 years'; and
            (B) in subparagraph (B)--
                (i) in clause (i), by striking `1 year' and inserting
              `2 years'; and
                (ii) in clause (ii), by striking `10 years' and
              inserting `20 years'; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    `(o) Except to the extent a greater minimum sentence is otherwise
  provided, any person at least 18 years of age who violates section
  922(g) shall be subject to--
        `(1) twice the maximum punishment authorized by this
      subsection; and
        `(2) at least twice any term of supervised release.'.
    (e) Application of Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act To
  Transfer of Ammunition: Section 922(t) of title 18, United States
  Code, is amended by inserting `or ammunition' after `firearm' each
  place it appears.
  SEC. 3. REGULATION OF ARMOR PIERCING AND NEW TYPES OF DESTRUCTIVE
                    AMMUNITION.
    (a) Testing of Ammunition: Section 921(a)(17) of title 18, United
  States Code, is amended--
        (1) by redesignating subparagraph (D), as added by section
      2(e)(2), as subparagraph (E); and
        (2) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new
      subparagraph:
    `(D)(i) Notwithstanding subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5,
  United States Code, not later than 1 year after the date of
  enactment of this subparagraph, the Secretary shall--
        `(I) establish uniform standards for testing and rating the
      destructive capacity of projectiles capable of being used in
      handguns;
        `(II) utilizing the standards established pursuant to
      subclause (I), establish performance-based standards to define
      the rating of `armor piercing ammunition' based on the rating
      at which the projectiles pierce armor; and
        `(III) at the expense of the ammunition manufacturer seeking
      to sell a particular type of ammunition, test and rate the
      destructive capacity of the ammunition utilizing the testing,
      rating, and performance-based standards established under
      subclauses (I) and (II).
    `(ii) The term `armor piercing ammunition' shall include any
  projectile determined to have a destructive capacity rating higher
  than the rating threshold established under subclause (II), in
  addition to the composition-based determination of subparagraph (B).
    `(iii) The Congress may exempt specific ammunition designed for
  sporting purposes from the definition of `armor piercing
  ammunition'.'.
    (b) Prohibition: Section 922(a) of title 18, United States Code,
  is amended--
        (1) in paragraph (7)--
            (A) by striking `or import' and inserting `, import,
          possess, or use';
            (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking `and';
            (C) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the
          end and inserting `; and'; and
            (D) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            `(D) the manufacture, importation, or use of any
          projectile that has been proven, by testing performed at
          the expense of the manufacturer of the projectile, to have
          a lower rating threshold than armor piercing ammunition.';
          and
        (2) in paragraph (8)--
            (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking `and';
            (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the
          end and inserting `; and'; and
            (C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            `(D) the manufacture, importation, or use of any
          projectile that has been proven, by testing performed at
          the expense of the manufacturer of the projectile, to have
          a lower rating threshold than armor piercing ammunition.'.
