[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1049 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1049

   To authorize an individual or the estate of an individual who has 
   suffered damages from the discharge of a firearm to bring a civil 
      action in a district court of the United States against the 
manufacturer, distributor, or retailer of the firearm for such damages 
   if the firearm had been in interstate commerce and the firearm's 
      manufacturer, distributor, or retailer was negligent in its 
  manufacture, distribution, or sale and also to bring such action on 
behalf of the political subdivision and State in which such individual 
  resides to recover the healthcare and law enforcement costs of the 
    State or political subdivision arising out of the discharge of 
                               firearms.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 10, 1999

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize an individual or the estate of an individual who has 
   suffered damages from the discharge of a firearm to bring a civil 
      action in a district court of the United States against the 
manufacturer, distributor, or retailer of the firearm for such damages 
   if the firearm had been in interstate commerce and the firearm's 
      manufacturer, distributor, or retailer was negligent in its 
  manufacture, distribution, or sale and also to bring such action on 
behalf of the political subdivision and State in which such individual 
  resides to recover the healthcare and law enforcement costs of the 
    State or political subdivision arising out of the discharge of 
                               firearms.

    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 ``Firearms Industry Responsibility 
Enforcement Act''.

SEC. 2. FEDERAL ACTION AGAINST FIREARMS MANUFACTURERS.

    (a) In General.--Whoever is damaged because of the discharge of a 
firearm may bring a civil action in a district court of the United 
States against the manufacturer, distributor, or retailer of the 
firearm if the firearm had been in interstate commerce and the 
manufacturer, distributor, or retailer was negligent in its 
manufacture, distribution, or sale. Whoever brings such an action may 
also bring such an action on behalf of the political subdivision of a 
State and the State in which such individual resides to recover the 
medical and law enforcement costs of the State or political subdivision 
arising out of the discharge in the State or political subdivision of 
firearms.
    (b) State and Political Subdivision Damages.--If a State or 
political subdivision of a State is included in an action brought under 
subsection (a), the damages for the medical and law enforcement costs 
of the State or political subdivision shall be paid to the State or 
political subdivision.
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