All Bill Summaries

This bill was approved by the Senate as an amendment to S. 649, the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013.

H.R. 499 would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level, leaving it up to the states to decide whether to allow marijuana for medicinal or recreational use.

Specifically, the bill would:

1. Remove marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances;
2. Transfer the Drug Enforcement Administration’s authority to regulate marijuana to a newly renamed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana and Firearms, which will be tasked with regulating marijuana as it currently does alcohol; and
3. Require marijuana producers and sellers ...

H.R. 748 would require all residents of the United States between the ages of 18 and 25 to perform two years of “national service."

“National service,” as defined in the bill, may consist of:

1. Military service; or
2. Civilian service in a federal, state, or local government program or with a community-based organization, provided that the President has determined that the organization is engaged in “meeting human, educational, environmental, or public safety needs.”
   

The bill would also allow the President ...

The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 bill prohibits the sale, manufacture, transfer and importation of 157 of the most commonly-owned military-style assault weapons. It bans an additional group of assault weapons that can accept a detachable ammunition magazine and have one or more military characteristics. In addition, the bill bans large-capacity magazines and other ammunition feeding devices that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

The legislation bans the sale, transfer, manufacturing and importation of:

• All semiautomatic rifles that can ...

This bill responds to farmer complaints that biotechnology companies have been restricting the use of their patented seeds to a single season. The bill would create a system to allow farmers to use the seeds past the first season at a price set by the government.

The communications director for the bill's sponsor, Rep. Kaptur (D-OH), said in a phone interview on Feb. 22, 2013, that she believed the biotechnology company Monsanto had come to dominate the seed industry ...

S. 22 would regulate private firearm sales at gun shows, requiring operators to be registered and gun buyers to undergo a background check.

According to the bill, gun show operators must:

• Register with the Attorney General.
• Verify the identity of each gun show vendor by photo ID.
• Require each gun show vendor to sign a ledger containing his identifying information and a notice of the requirements under this bill.

Unlike the corresponding bill in the House, the Gun Show Loophole ...

H.R. 141 would regulate private firearm sales at gun shows, requiring operators to be registered and gun buyers to undergo a background check.

According to the bill, gun show operators must:

• Be 21 years or older.
• Not be prohibited from possessing a firearm under the Gun Control Act of 1968.
• Register with the Attorney General.
• Notify the Attorney General at least 30 days in advance of the date, time, duration and location of a gun show, and the identity ...

The NRA Members’ Gun Safety Act would put in place five gun-control measures, including mandatory background checks for every gun purchase. In naming the bill, its sponsor, Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), refers to a recent poll indicating that these measures are popular among members of the National Rifle Association (NRA). Despite the title, the bill has not been endorsed by the NRA.

Specifically, the five measures would:

• Require background checks on all potential gun buyers, as opposed to the currently ...

H.J.Res. 15 proposes repealing presidential term limits. Rep. Serrano (D-NY), the resolution's sponsor, has proposed similar legislation in every congressional session since 1997 --- during the tenure of presidents from both parties. None of the resolutions has ever made it to a floor vote.

The joint resolution seeks to repeal the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which sets a term limit for election to the office of President of the United States. A joint resolution is one way ...

S. 33 would prohibit the sale and transfer of ammunition magazines that have a capacity of, or could be readily converted to accept, more than 10 rounds.

 

Individuals who own large-capacity magazines on or before the date of the enactment of the bill would be able to keep them. The bill would also exempt retired and current law enforcement officials who use those devices for ‘purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off duty),’ as well as contractors who have ...