Firearms Abuse Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary.
Firearms Abuse Act - Amends the Gun Control Act of 1968 to require that whoever uses or carries a firearm during the commission of any felony which may be prosecuted in Federal court shall, in addition to the punishment provided for such offense, be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than five years nor more than 15 years (the current terms are not less than one year nor more than ten years). Requires in the case of a second or subsequent conviction the imposition of a term of not less than ten nor more than 30 years (instead of not less than two nor more than 25 years). Stipulates that such additional sentence: (1) may not be suspended; (2) may not include probation; and (3) may not run concurrently. Establishes a mandatory one year term of imprisonment for anyone violating the prohibitions against trafficking in stolen firearms. Provides that the offense of theft of Government firearms shall be punished in accordance with the Gun Control Act of 1968.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on June 16, 1980. 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 June 16, 1980: Referred to House Committee on the 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 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 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?
W. MOORE (R-LA) introduced it on June 16, 1980. 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 June 16, 1980, 16887 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 16887 days ago, on June 16, 1980.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 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