H.R. 923

119 HR 923 IH: Stop Arming Cartels Act of 2025
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2025-02-04
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 I  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  H. R. 923  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   February 4, 2025   Mr. Castro of Texas  (for himself,  Ms. Escobar ,  Mr. Frost ,  Mrs. Ramirez ,  Ms. Norton ,  Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick ,  Ms. Schakowsky ,  Mr. Casar ,  Ms. Brownley ,  Mr. García of Illinois ,  Mr. Grijalva ,  Mr. Magaziner ,  Mr. Auchincloss ,  Ms. Scanlon ,  Mr. Carbajal , and  Mr. Vargas ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on the Judiciary , and in addition to the Committee on  Ways and Means , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned   A BILL
To prohibit the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of .50 caliber rifles, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Stop Arming Cartels Act of 2025  .
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.
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) ).
 .
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 .
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 .