[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3805 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3805

   To authorize matching funds for State and local firearm buy-back 
                               programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 3, 1994

Mr. Weldon (for himself and Mr. Holden) introduced the following bill; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize matching funds for State and local firearm buy-back 
                               programs.

    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 ``Federal Firearm Buy-Back Initiative 
Act''.

SEC. 2. MATCHING FUNDS FOR STATE AND LOCAL FIRE-ARM BUY-BACK PROGRAMS.

    (a) Federal Contribution.--The Attorney General shall establish a 
program under which the Attorney General will enter into agreements to 
contribute, and will contribute, up to 50 percent of the funds needed 
to provide merchandise, certificates that may be used to acquire 
merchandise or services, or other non-cash incentives to individuals to 
turn in firearms to firearm buy-back programs operated by State or 
local governments or private entities (or to individuals who provide 
information to local law enforcement agencies that leads to the arrest 
and conviction of an individual or individuals who have committed a 
crime with the use of a firearm).
    (b) Qualifications, Terms, and Conditions.--In an agreement under 
subsection (a), the Attorney General--
            (1) may agree to contribute to a firearm buy-back program 
        an amount that is not greater than the amount of State and 
        local public funds and private funds committed to the program 
        at the time of the agreement;
            (2) shall require that all firearms that are turned in to 
        the program will be destroyed;
            (3) shall require that the program agree to provide only 
        merchandise, certificates that may be used to acquire 
        merchandise or services, or other incentives other than cash to 
        individuals who turn in firearms; and
            (4)(A) may set such other qualifications, terms, and 
        conditions as may be appropriate to ensure that the program is 
        operated in an efficient and bona fide manner consistent with 
        the interests of law enforcement; but
            (B) may not prescribe the terms under which the program 
        will accept firearms in exchange for any offered incentive.
    (c) Termination.--The program under subsection (a) shall terminate 
on September 30, 1995.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, out of the Violent Crime 
Reduction Trust Fund to be established under section 1115 of title 31, 
United States Code, as added by section 1353 of the Violent Crime 
Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1993, $15,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 1994 and 1995.
    (e) Report.--Not later than December 31, 1995, the Attorney General 
shall submit to Congress a report assessing the effect that operation 
of the firearm buy-back programs funded under this Act has had in 
reducing the incidence of crime in the jurisdictions in which the 
programs were operated.

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