[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3255 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3255

    To assist local governments in conducting gun buyback programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 8, 1999

 Ms. Norton (for herself and Mr. Wynn) introduced the following bill; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To assist local governments in conducting gun buyback programs.

    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 ``Nationwide Gun Buyback Act of 
1999''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General of the United States may make 
grants to units of local government to conduct gun buyback programs.
    (b) Reduction of Incidence of Gun Violence To Be Given Great 
Weight.--In assessing applications for grants under this Act, the 
Attorney General shall give greater weight to the incidence of gun 
violence and the need to reduce the availability of guns in the 
jurisdictions involved than to any other factors.
    (c) Use of Funds.--A unit of local government to which a grant is 
made under this Act shall use the grant only to conduct a gun buyback 
program in accordance with the approved application for the grant.

SEC. 3. APPLICATIONS.

    (a) In General.--The chief executive of a unit of local government 
desiring a grant under this Act shall submit to the Attorney General of 
the United States an application for the grant, which shall be in such 
form and contain such information as the Attorney General may 
reasonably require.
    (b) Requirements.--An application for a grant under this Act for a 
gun buyback program shall contain assurances from the chief executive 
of the unit of local government (after consultation with the local 
chief of police or equivalent officer) that--
            (1) within 60 days after the date the program collects a 
        gun, the gun will be destroyed or, if the gun is an inoperable 
        curio or relic with historic significance, donated to a museum 
        for display;
            (2) the local law enforcement authority is able to collect 
        guns safely under the program; and
            (3) the unit of local government has the authority to grant 
        an appropriate amnesty to persons from whom guns are obtained 
        under the program.
    (c) Regulations.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General of the United States shall 
promulgate regulations to implement this Act, which shall specify the 
information that must be included in an application for a grant under 
this Act, and the requirements that units of local government must meet 
to be eligible for such a grant.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Gun.--The term ``gun'' means a firearm (as defined in 
        section 921(a)(3) of title 18, United States Code).
            (2) Gun buyback program.--The term ``gun buyback program'' 
        means a program conducted by a local law enforcement authority 
        under which the authority purchases guns from, or accepts gun 
        donations made by individuals or groups desiring to dispose of 
        guns.

SEC. 5. LIMITATIONS ON AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    For grants under this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Attorney General of the United States not more than $50,000,000 
for each fiscal year.
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