BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE 88TH CONGRESS TO AMEND THE FEDERAL FIREARMS ACT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP67B00446R000500280011-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 2, 2004
• Sequence Number: 11
• Content Type: REGULATION

BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE 88TH CONGRESS TO AMEND THE
FEDERAL FIREARMS ACT
SSNATE BILLS:
S, 1975 - Introduced by Senator Dodd for himself, Mr. Bayh,
Mr. Ervin and Mr. Fong
This bill grew out of the hearings before the Subcom-
mittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency of the Judiciary
Committee (Part 14 - Interstate Traffic in Mail Order Firearms --
January 29 and 30, March 7, and May 1 and 2, 1963). As intro-
duced, the bill was designed primarily to regulate so-called
"mail-order" shipments of handguns. In addition, the bill
contained many other clarifying and strengthening amendments
to the Federal Firearms Act, suggested by the Treasury Depart-
ment, to the Dodd Committee in March 1963.
On November 27, 1963, following the assassination, Senator
Dodd offered amendments to the bill extending the "mail-order"
provisions to cover all firearms and requiring a certificate
from a local law enforcement officer to be forwarded with the
order for the gun.
On December 2, 1963, Senator Dodd offered a' substitute
amendment deleting the requirement for the certificate of the
chief local law enforcement officer, and providing in lieu
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thereof for notification by registered mail, return receipt
requested, of the local authorities before a firearm is
shipped.
The Treasury Department favorably reported to the Senate
Commerce Committee on the bill (as introduced) on November 14,
1963. A subsequent report dealing with the amendments of
November 27, 1964, was submitted on December 2, 1963, and the
Treasury Department advised the Commerce Committee at a hear-
ing on December 18, 1963, that the Department favored the later
amendments,
Public hearings on S. 1975 and S. 2345 were held by the
Commerce Committee on December 13 and 18, 1963, and January
23, 24 and 30 and March 4, 1964.
The Commerce Committee took no action subsequent to the
hearings with respect to these bills.
On August 7, 1964, the Judiciary Committee issued a re-
port (Senate Report No. 1340, 88th Cong., 2nd Sess,) on the
"Interstate Traffic in Mail Order Firearms" urging the enact-
ment of S. 1975. However, this did not mean that the bill was
reported to the Senate since the bill was under the jurisdiction
of the Commerce Committee.
 S, 2345 - Mr, Scott
This bill contains two principal amendments to the
Federal Firearms Act. The first is designed to deal with
the so-called "mail-order" transactions by requiring a sworn
statement from a local police officer to accompany the order
for the gun, and the second relates to record keeping and
disclosures of information to local law enforcement officers.
On December 10, 1963, the Department advised the Com-
merce Committee that the objectives of the bill could better
be accomplished by the enactment of S. 1975.
HOUSE BILLS:
H. R. 8004 - Mr. Moorhead
Same as preliminary draft of S. 1975.
H. R, 8081 - Mr. Halpern
Same as S. 1975 as introduced.
H. R. 8174 - Mr, Moorhead
Identical to S.1975 as introduced.
H. R. 8176 - Mr. Murphy
Identical to S. 1975 as introduced, The Department
favorably reported to the Committee on Ways and Means on this
bill on November 14, 1963.
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H. R. 9239 - Mr. Fulton of Tennessee
Same as S. 1975 as introduced.
H. R. 9266 - Mrs. Green
Same as S. 1975 as introduced,
H. It, 9347 - Mr. Halpern
Same as S. 1975 with November 27, 1963 amendments.
H. R. 9504 - Mr. Multer
Same as S. 1975 with November 27, 1963 amendments.
H. R. 9315 - Mr. Joelson
This bill would require that firearms shipped to non-
licensees in interstate commerce be shipped through the local
police officers.
H. R. 9327 - Mr. Teague
Similar to H. R.9315.
H. R. 9390 - Mr. Glenn
Similar to H. R. 9315.
H. R. 9348 - Mr. Hays
This bill would prohibit interstate shipment of firearms
except to licensed dealers or licensed manufacturers, and would
prohibit all firearms from being mailed to non-licensed individ-
uals.
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H R, 9323 - Mr. Karsten
Similar to S. 1975 in many respects, but contains much
more stringent provisions concerning movement of firearms in
interstate or foreign commerce, as well as very strict condi-
tions on obtaining licenses and greatly increased license fees.
The Department reported to the Committee on Ways and Means on
December 10, 1963, expressing certain reservations concerning
certain provisions of the bill. When this bill was brought up
by Mr. Karsten at the Executive Sessions of the Ways and Means
Committee, he stated Treasury and Justice Departments had
reservations concerning certain provisions and that it was pro-
posed to revise the bill in order to make it acceptable to these
departments.
H. R. 9471 is a revision of H. It, 9323 designed to over-
come the objections expressed by Treasury and Justice.
H, R. 9471 - Mr. Karsten
This bill is in the nature of a revision of H. It, 9323
designed to overcome the reservations expressed by the Depart-
ment of Justice and Treasury Department in their report on
that bill. The Treasury Department submitted a favorable re-
port to the Committee on Ways and Means on H. It, 9471 in
January 1964. Basically the bill would limit sales of firearms
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in interstate and foreign commerce to sales between licensed
Manufacturers and dealers (there would be no mail order ship-
ments to individuals); prohibit over-the-counter sales to non-
residents of the state, increase license fees of dealers to
$100, pawnbrokers $200, and manufacturers to $300, as well as
incorporate the technical and clarifying changes in S. 1975
which were largely suggested by the Treasury Department to
the Dodd Committee.
H. R. 9504 - Mr. Multer
Same as S. 1975 with November 1963 amendments.
H. R. 9757 - Mr. Lindsay
Would restrict commercial shipments in interstate or
foreign commerce to shipments between licensed manufacturers
and licensed dealers.
H R. 9961 - Mr. Barrett
Somewhat similar to Senator Scott's bill S. 2345.
H. R. 12647 - Mr. Milliken
Similar to S. 1975 with December 2, 1963 amendments.