[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 146 (Monday, October 25, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13089-S13090]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mr. Lautenberg):
  S. 1774. 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; to the Committee on Finance.


             Military Sniper Weapon Regulation Act of 1999

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today on behalf of myself and 
Senator Lautenberg to introduce the Military Sniper Weapon Regulation 
Act of 1999. This bill will reclassify powerful .50 caliber military 
sniper rifles under the National Firearms act, thus making it much more 
difficult for terrorists, doomsday cults, and criminals to obtain these 
guns for illegitimate use.
  Let me just talk a little bit about what a .50 caliber gun is, and 
then I will describe why I believe it is vital to tighten the rules 
surrounding their use and purchase.
  These .50 caliber firearms are weapons of such range and destructive 
capability that it seems unthinkable for them to fall into civilian 
hands. These

[[Page S13090]]

.50 caliber guns, manufactured by a small handful of companies and 
individuals, are deadly, military style assault rifles. The M82A1, one 
common example of these guns, was manufactured with one purpose in 
mind--the efficient destruction of enemy armaments and personnel. These 
guns, weighing 28 pounds and capable of piercing light armor at more 
than 4 miles, enable a single shooter to destroy enemy jeeps, tanks, 
personnel carriers, bunkers, fuel stations, and even communication 
centers. As a result, their use by military organizations worldwide has 
been rapidly spreading during the course of this decade.
  But with the increasing military use of the gun, we have also seen 
increased use of the weapon by violent criminals and terrorists around 
the world.
  The weapons are deadly accurate up to 2,000 yards. This means that a 
shooter using a .50 caliber weapon can reliably hit a target more than 
a mile away. In fact, according to a training manual for military and 
police snipers published in 1993, a bullet from this gun ``even at one 
and a half miles crashes into a target with more energy than Dirty 
Harry's famous .44 magnum at point-blank'' range.
  And the gun is ``effective'' up to 7,500 yards. In other words, 
although it may be hard to aim at that distance, the gun will have its 
desired destructive effect at that distance--more than 4 miles from the 
target.
  The weapon can penetrate several inches of steel, concrete, or even 
light armor.
  Many ranges used for target practice do not even have enough safety 
features to accommodate these guns--it is just too powerful.
  This gun was used extensively in the gulf war by American troops. 
Ideal for long range destruction of personnel, light armor or 
communications, there is no question that this gun is an effective 
wartime tool.
  Recent advances in weapons technology, however, allow this gun to be 
used by civilians against armored limousines, bunkers, individuals, and 
even aircraft--in fact, one advertisement for the gun apparently 
promoted the weapon as able to ``wreck several million dollars' worth 
of jet aircraft with one or two dollars' worth of cartridge.''
  One new version of the .50 caliber weapon is a modified machine gun 
capable of accepting ammunition belts, and yet is still allowed for 
civilian use by BATF.
  This gun is so powerful that one dealer told undercover GAO 
investigators ``You'd better buy one soon. It's only a matter of time 
before someone lets go a round on a range that travels so far, it hits 
a school bus full of kids. The government will definitely ban .50 
calibers. This gun is just too powerful.''
  Mr. President, a recent study by the General Accounting Office 
revealed some eye-opening facts about how and where this gun is used, 
and how easily it is obtained.
  The GAO reports that many of these guns wind up in the hands of 
domestic and international terrorists, religious cults, outlaw 
motorcycle gangs, drug traffickers, and violent criminals.
  One doomsday cult headquartered in Montana purchased 10 of these guns 
and stockpiled them in an underground bunker, along with thousands of 
rounds of ammunition and other guns.
  At least one .50 caliber gun was recovered by Mexican authorities 
after a shoot-out with an international drug cartel in that country. 
The gun was originally purchased in Wyoming, so it is clear that the 
guns are making their way into the hands of criminals worldwide.
  Accoring to a recent news story, another .50 caliber sniper rifle, 
smuggled out of the United States, was used by the Irish Republican 
Army to kill a large number of British soldiers.
  And ammunition for these guns is also readily available, even over 
the Internet. Bullets for these guns include ``armor piercing 
incendiary'' ammunition that explodes on impact, and even ``armor 
piercing tracing'' ammunition reminiscent of the ammunition that lit up 
the skies over Baghdad during the Persian Gulf war.
  Several ammunition dealers were willing to sell armor piercing 
ammunition to an undercover GAO investigator even after the 
investigator said he wanted the ammunition to pierce an armored 
limousine or maybe to ``take down'' a helicopter.
  In fact, our own military helps to provide thousands of rounds of .50 
caliber ammunition, by essentially giving away tons of spent 
cartridges, many of which are then refurbished and sold on the civilian 
market.
  The bill I offer today will begin the process of making these guns 
harder to get and easier to track.
  Current law classifies .50 caliber guns as ``long guns,'' subject to 
the least government regulation for any firearm. Sawed-off shotguns, 
machine guns, and even handguns are more highly regulated than this 
military sniper rifle.
  In fact, many states allow possession of .50 caliber guns by those as 
young as 14 years old, and there is no regulation on second-hand sales.
  Essentially, this bill would re-classify .50 caliber guns under the 
National Firearms Act, which imposes far stricter standards on powerful 
and destruction weapons.
  For instance:
  NFA guns may only be purchased from a licensed dealer, and not 
second-hand. This will prevent the sale of these guns at gun shows and 
in other venues that make it hard for law enforcement to track the 
weapons.
  Second, purchasers of NFA guns must fill out license transfer 
applications and provide fingerprints to be processed by the FBI in 
detailed criminal background checks. By reclassifying the .50 caliber, 
Congress will be making a determination that sellers should be more 
careful about to whom they give these powerful, military guns.
  ATF reports that this background check process takes about 60 days, 
so prospective gun buyers will face some delay. However, legitimate 
purchasers of this $7,000 gun can certainly wait that long.
  Clearly, Mr. President, placing a few more restrictions on who can 
get these guns and how is simply common sense. This bill will not ban 
the sale, use or possession of .50 caliber weapons. The .50 caliber 
shooting club will not face extinction, and ``legitimate'' purchasers 
of these guns will not lose their access--even though that, too, might 
be a reasonable step, since I cannot imagine a legitimate use of this 
gun.
  The bill will simply place stricter requirements on the way in which 
these guns can be sold, and to whom. The measure is meant to offer a 
reasoned solution to making it harder for terrorists, assassins, and 
other criminals to obtain these powerful weapons. If we are to continue 
to allow private citizens to own and use guns of this caliber, range, 
and destructive power, we should at the very least take greater care in 
making sure that these guns do not fall into the wrong hands.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
                                 ______