[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1999 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1999

 To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the possession or 
   transfer of handgun ammunition capable of being used to penetrate 
                          standard body armor.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 19, 1997

  Mr. Yates introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on the Judicicary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the possession or 
   transfer of handgun ammunition capable of being used to penetrate 
                          standard body armor.

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

SECTION 1. PROHIBITION AGAINST THE POSSESSION OR TRANSFER OF HANDGUN 
              AMMUNITION CAPABLE OF BEING USED TO PENETRATE STANDARD 
              BODY ARMOR.

    (a) In General.--Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(y)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess or transfer 
a piece of handgun ammunition if--
            ``(A) the Secretary has determined, pursuant to section 
        926(d), that the ammunition is of a type which is capable of 
        being used to penetrate standard body armor;
            ``(B) notice of the determination has been published in the 
        Federal Register; and
            ``(C) the determination has not been rescinded.
    ``(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to--
            ``(A) the sale or delivery by a manufacturer or importer of 
        handgun ammunition for use of the United States or any 
        department or agency thereof or any State or any department, 
        agency, or political subdivision thereof; or
            ``(B) the sale or delivery by a manufacturer or importer of 
        handgun ammunition for purposes of testing or experimentation 
        authorized by the Secretary.
    ``(3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a piece of handgun 
ammunition which is the subject of a notice published in the Federal 
Register pursuant to section 926(d)(2) if the piece of ammunition was 
lawfully possessed by any person immediately before the date of the 
publication.''.
    (b) Determination of the Capability of Handgun Ammunition; 
Publication in Federal Register of Prohibited Handgun Ammunition.--
Section 926 of such title is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
    ``(d)(1) The Secretary shall determine whether any handgun 
ammunition is capable of being used to penetrate standard body armor, 
in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary which shall 
provide for the manner in which such capability is to be determined, 
including--
            ``(A) the type or types of standard body armor to be used 
        in determining such capability;
            ``(B) the type or types of firearm from which the 
        ammunition is to be expelled by action of an explosive; and
            ``(C) the type or types of such explosive.
    ``(2) Upon making a determination pursuant to paragraph (1) that a 
type of handgun ammunition is capable of being used to penetrate 
standard body armor, the Secretary shall publish notice of the 
determination in the Federal Register.''.
    (c) Penalties.--Section 924(a)(1)(B) of such title is amended by 
inserting ``or (y)'' before ``of section 922''.
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