[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 45 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S3160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. BOXER (for herself and Mr. Bradley):
  S. 1654. A bill to apply equal standards to certain foreign made and 
domestically produced handguns; to the Committee on the Judiciary.


              the junk gun violence protection act of 1996

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I am introducing, along with my 
distinguished colleague from New Jersey, Senator Bradley, a bill to 
give equal treatment to the manufacture, transfer, and possession of 
both foreign made and domestically produced junk guns.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1654

       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 ``Junk Gun Violence Protection 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds that--
       (1) the prohibition on the importation of handguns that are 
     not generally recognized as particularly suitable for or 
     readily adaptable to sporting purposes, often described as 
     junk guns or Saturday night specials, has led to the creation 
     of a high-volume market for these weapons that are 
     domestically manufactured;
       (2) traffic in junk guns constitutes a serious threat to 
     public welfare and to law enforcement officers, and the use 
     of such firearms is increasing;
       (3) junk guns are used disproportionately in the commission 
     of crimes;
       (4) of the firearms traced in 1995, the 3 firearms most 
     commonly traced to crimes were junk guns; and
       (5) the domestic manufacture, transfer, and possession of 
     junk guns should be restricted.

     SEC. 3. RESTRICTION ON MANUFACTURE, TRANSFER, AND POSSESSION 
                   OF CERTAIN HANDGUNS.

       (a) Restriction.--Section 922 of title 18, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(y)(1) It shall be unlawful for a person to manufacture, 
     transfer, or possess a junk gun that has been shipped or 
     transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
       ``(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to--
       ``(A) the possession or transfer of any junk gun otherwise 
     lawfully possessed under Federal law on the date of the 
     enactment of the Junk Gun Violence Protection Act;
       ``(B) any firearm or replica of a firearm that has been 
     rendered permanently inoperative;
       ``(C) the manufacture for, transfer to, or possession by 
     the United States or a State or a department or agency of the 
     United States, or a State or a department, agency, or 
     political subdivision of a State, or a transfer to or 
     possession by a law enforcement officer employed by such an 
     entity for law enforcement purposes (whether on or off duty); 
     or
       ``(D) the manufacture, transfer, or possession of a junk 
     gun by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer for the 
     purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the 
     Secretary.''.
       (b) Definition of Junk Gun.--Section 921(a) of title 18, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new paragraph:
       ``(33)(A) The term `junk gun' means any firearm that is not 
     described in section 925(d)(3), and any regulations issued 
     under such section.''.

                          ____________________