[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 22 (Monday, February 3, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S545-S546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mr. PADILLA:
S. 366. A bill to posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to
Muhammad Ali, in recognition of his contributions to the United States;
to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the
Muhammad Ali Congressional Gold Medal Act, which I introduced today.
Muhammad Ali is often referred to as ``The Greatest,'' an appropriate
title which he earned through his inspiring athletic achievements,
dedication to ensuring that all Americans have equal rights, and
advocacy for underserved communities around the world. Ali serves as an
example of service and self-sacrifice for all generations.
Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, KY, on January 17, 1942. From an
early age, he excelled in boxing, going on to win a gold medal at the
1960 Olympic Games in Rome and becoming an undisputed heavyweight
boxing champion. Throughout his career, he helped our Nation grow past
the legacy of Jim Crow and segregation in sports. He worked tirelessly
to support charitable organizations, including founding the Muhammad
Ali Parkinson Center and raising over $50 million for Parkinson's
research.
Ali's devotion to humanitarian causes and racial equality earned him
many accolades, including being chosen as a United Nations Messenger of
Peace and receiving an Amnesty International Lifetime Achievement
Award. He was also chosen to light the Olympic flame at the 1996
Olympic Games in Atlanta, and in 2005, President George W. Bush awarded
Ali the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Muhammad Ali also left a lasting impact on my home State of
California. For nearly 10 years, Ali lived in Los Angeles, and five of
his professional fights were held in southern California. Due to his
courage and conviction, the 1987 California Bicentennial Foundation for
the U.S. Constitution selected Ali to personify the vitality of the
Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
[[Page S546]]
The Congressional Gold Medal is a fitting award for an American who
devoted his life and career to uplifting underserved communities in the
U.S. and abroad. I want to thank Representative Carson for introducing
this bill in the House, and I hope that our colleagues on both sides of
the aisle will join us in awarding a posthumous Congressional Gold
Medal to Muhammad Ali.
______
By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Hirono, Mr.
Booker, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Kim, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Murphy,
Mr. Reed, and Mr. Wyden):
S. 367. A bill to prohibit the importation, sale, manufacture,
transfer, or possession of .50 caliber rifles, and for other purposes;
to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 367
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 ``Stop Arming Cartels Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON RIFLES CAPABLE OF FIRING .50 CALIBER
AMMUNITION.
(a) In General.--Chapter 44 of title 18, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in section 922, by adding at the end the following:
``(aa) Rifles Capable of Firing .50 Caliber Ammunition.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), it
shall be unlawful for any person to import, sell,
manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate
or foreign commerce, a rifle capable of firing .50 caliber
ammunition.
``(2) Exceptions.--
``(A) Government use.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the
importation for, manufacture for, sale to, transfer to, or
possession by the United States, a department or agency of
the United States, a State, or a department, agency, or
political subdivision of a State, of a rifle capable of
firing .50 caliber ammunition.
``(B) Grandfathered rifles.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply
to the sale, transfer, or possession of any rifle otherwise
lawfully possessed on or before the date of enactment of the
Stop Arming Cartels Act of 2025.''; and
(2) in section 924(a)(1)(B), by striking ``or (q)'' and
inserting ``(q), or (aa)''.
(b) Inclusion of Certain Rifles as Firearms Under National
Firearms Act.--
(1) In general.--Section 5845(a) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``and (8) a destructive
device'' and inserting ``(8) a destructive device; and (9) a
rifle which is capable of firing .50 caliber ammunition and
is lawfully possessed on or before the date of enactment of
the Stop Arming Cartels Act of 2025''.
(2) Effective date.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on the
date which is 12 months after the date of enactment of this
Act.
(B) Registration.--
(i) In general.--Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) or any
other provision of law, any person possessing a rifle which
is capable of firing .50 caliber ammunition which is not
registered to such person in the National Firearms
Registration and Transfer Record shall register each such
rifle so possessed with the Secretary in such form and manner
as the Secretary may require within the 12-month period
immediately following the date of enactment of this Act. No
fee or tax shall be imposed with respect to any registration
required under this subparagraph.
(ii) Inclusion in registry.--Any registration described in
clause (i) shall become a part of the National Firearms
Registration and Transfer Record. No information or evidence
required to be submitted or retained by a natural person to
register a firearm under this subparagraph shall be used,
directly or indirectly, as evidence against such person in
any criminal proceeding with respect to a prior or concurrent
violation of law.
(C) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
(i) National firearms registration and transfer record.--
The term ``National Firearms Registration and Transfer
Record'' means the registry established pursuant to section
5841 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(ii) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' has the same
meaning given such term under section 7701(a)(11)(B) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
SEC. 3. EXCEPTION TO COVERAGE UNDER PROTECTION OF LAWFUL
COMMERCE IN ARMS ACT.
Section 4(5)(A) of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in
Arms Act (15 U.S.C. 7903(5)(A)) is amended--
(1) in clause (v), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) in clause (vi), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(vii) an action brought against a manufacturer or seller
that knowingly sells or transfers a qualified product, or
attempts or conspires to do so, knowing or having reasonable
cause to believe that the transaction is prohibited under
section 805(c) of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation
Act (21 U.S.C. 1904(c)).''.
SEC. 4. FEDERAL FIREARM PROHIBITOR FOR SIGNIFICANT FOREIGN
NARCOTICS TRAFFICKERS AND CERTAIN OTHER FOREIGN
PERSONS.
(a) In General.--Section 922(d) of title 18, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (10), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) by redesignating paragraph (11) as paragraph (12);
(3) by inserting after paragraph (10) the following:
``(11) is--
``(A) a significant foreign narcotics trafficker publicly
identified by the President in a report under subsection (b)
or (h)(1) of section 804 of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin
Designation Act (21 U.S.C. 1903); or
``(B) a foreign person designated by the Secretary of the
Treasury under section 805(b) of the Foreign Narcotics
Kingpin Designation Act (21 U.S.C. 1904(b)); or''; and
(4) in paragraph (12), as so redesignated, by striking
``(10)'' and inserting ``(11)''.
(b) Conforming Amendments Relating to NICS.--Section 103 of
the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (34 U.S.C. 40901)
is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(2)(D), by inserting ``or that
transfer of a firearm or ammunition to the individual would
violate subsection (d)(11) of such section 922'' after
``section 922 of title 18, United States Code,'';
(2) in subsection (e)(1)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``or to whom transfer
of a firearm would violate subsection (d)(11) of such section
922,'' after ``section 922 of title 18, United States Code or
State law,'';
(B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``or that transfer of
a firearm or ammunition to the person would violate
subsection (d)(11) of such section 922,'' after ``section 922
of title 18, United States Code,'';
(C) in subparagraph (F)(iii)(I), by striking ``(g) or (n)''
and inserting ``(d)(11), (g), or (n)''; and
(D) in subparagraph (G)(i), by striking ``(g) or (n)'' and
inserting ``(d)(11), (g), or (n)'';
(3) in subsection (g), by inserting ``or that transfer of a
firearm to a prospective transferee would violate subsection
(d)(11) of such section 922,'' after ``section 922 of title
18, United States Code or State law,''; and
(4) in subsection (i)(2)--
(A) by striking ``persons,'' and inserting ``persons who
are''; and
(B) by inserting before the period at the end the
following: ``, or to whom transfer of a firearm would violate
subsection (d)(11) of such section 922''.
SEC. 5. ADDING RIFLES TO MULTIPLE FIREARM SALES REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS.
Section 923(g)(3)(A) of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``pistols, or revolvers, or any
combination of pistols and revolvers'' and inserting
``pistols, revolvers, or rifles, or any combination of
pistols, revolvers, and rifles''.
____________________