[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. <all>