Federal Firearms Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Judiciary.
Federal Firearms Act - Title I: Reenactment of the Federal Firearms Act - Sets forth definitions of terms used in this Act. Specifies acts which shall be unlawful with respect to the movement of firearms or ammunition in interstate or foreign commerce. Provides that any manufacturer or dealer desiring to transport, ship, or receive firearms or ammunition in interstate or foreign commerce shall transmit to the Secretary of the Treasury an application for a license which shall contain such information as prescribed by the Secretary. Requires the Secretary to revoke such license whenever the licensee is convicted of a violation of any of the provisions of this Act. States that the provisions of this Act shall not apply to: (1) the United States or any department, independent establishment, or agency thereof; (2) any State, territory, or possession, or the District of Columbia, or any department independent establishment, agency, or any political subdivision thereof; (3) any duly commissioned officer or agent of the United States, a State, territory, or possession, or the District of Columbia, or any political subdivision thereof; (4) or to any bank, public carrier, express, or armored truck company organizedand operating in good faith for the transportation of money and valuables; and (5) or to any reserach laboratory designated by the Secretary of the Treasury. Provides that any person violating any of the provisions of this Act, or who makes any statement in applying for the license or exemptions provided for in this Act, knowing such statement to be false, shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both. Title II: Repeal of Chapter 44 of Title 18, United States Code - Provides for the repeal of chapter 44 (Firearms) of title 18 (Crimes and Criminal Procedure) of the United States Code. Title III: Effective Date - Provides that the Act shall take effect ninety days afeter enactment.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on January 3, 1973. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on January 3, 1973: Referred to House Committee on Judiciary.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
JOHN SAYLOR (R-PA) introduced it on January 3, 1973. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on January 3, 1973, 19608 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19608 days ago, on January 3, 1973.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers