[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 429 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 429

   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

                           February 24, 2003

Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Corzine, Mr. 
 Lautenberg, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Levin) 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 ``Anti-Terrorism Military Sniper 
Weapon Reclassification Act of 2003''.

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:
    ``(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.--Section 5845(c) 
        of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting 
        ``or from a bipod or other support'' after ``shoulder''.
            (3) Conforming amendment.--Section 5811(a) of the Internal 
        Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``section 5845(e)'' 
        and inserting ``section 5845(f)''.
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