[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4477 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4477

             To authorize Federal judges to carry firearms.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 8, 2005

 Mr. English of Pennsylvania introduced the following bill; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
             To authorize Federal judges to carry firearms.

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

SECTION 1. AUTHORITY OF FEDERAL JUDGES TO CARRY FIREARMS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 926C the following new section:
``Sec. 926D. Carrying of firearms by Federal judges
    ``(a) Authority.--Notwithstanding any other provision of the law of 
any State or any political subdivision thereof, an individual who is a 
Federal judge and who is carrying the identification required by 
subsection (d), may carry a firearm, whether concealed or not, subject 
to subsection (b).
    ``(b) Construction.--This section shall not be construed to 
supersede or limit the laws of any State that--
            ``(1) permit private persons or entities to prohibit or 
        restrict the possession of concealed firearms on their 
        property; or
            ``(2) prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms on 
        any State or local government property, installation, building, 
        base, or park.
    ``(c) Definitions.--As used in this section--
            ``(1) the term `Federal judge' means--
                    ``(A) any justice of the United States or judge of 
                the United States (as defined in section 451 of title 
                28;
                    ``(B) any judge of a court created under article I 
                of the United States Constitution;
                    ``(C) any bankruptcy judge; and
                    ``(D) any magistrate judge; and
            ``(2) the term `firearm' does not include--
                    ``(A) any machinegun (as defined in section 5845 of 
                the National Firearms Act);
                    ``(B) any firearm silencer (as defined in section 
                921 of this title); and
                    ``(C) any destructive device (as defined in section 
                921 of this title).
    ``(d) Identification.--The identification required by this 
subsection is the photographic identification issued by the United 
States Government identifying the individual concerned as a justice or 
judge described in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) of subsection 
(c)(1), as the case may be.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 44 of 
title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 926C the following new item:

``926D. Carrying of firearms by Federal judges.''.
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