PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 27, 2025
Keep Americans Safe Act
This bill establishes a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD).
The bill does not prohibit certain conduct with respect to an LCAFD, including the following:
importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments;
importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and
possession by a retired law enforcement officer.
The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD.
Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification and the date of manufacture.
Additionally, the bill allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender an LCAFD under a buy-back program.
People & committees
Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1] · D–CO
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Sep 19, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-27 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This proposal would generally prohibit importing, selling, making, transferring, or possessing ammunition-feeding devices capable of holding more than 15 rounds, when connected to trade between states or with other countries. It would preserve otherwise lawful possession dating from enactment or earlier, with additional exceptions for specified uses and people. It would also allow Byrne grant funds to compensate people who surrender covered devices through buy-back programs.
that has an overall capacity of, or that can be readily restored, changed, or converted to accept, more than 15 rounds of ammunition
(1) It shall be unlawful for a person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a large capacity ammunition feeding device. (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the possession of any large capacity ammunition feeding device otherwise lawfully possessed on or before the date of enactment of the Keep Americans Safe Act.
the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of any large capacity ammunition feeding device by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General.
5. Use of Byrne grants for buy-back programs for large capacity ammunition feeding devices Section 501(a)(1) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10152(a)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (J) Compensation for surrendered large capacity ammunition feeding devices, as that term is defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code, under buy-back programs for large capacity ammunition feeding devices.
The proposed law would be called the Keep Americans Safe Act.
This Act may be cited as the Keep Americans Safe Act.
The definition would cover magazines, belts, drums, feed strips, helical feeding devices, and similar devices, including devices joined together. The threshold would include both devices that already hold more than 15 rounds and those readily modified to do so.
means a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, helical feeding device, or similar device, including any such device joined or coupled with another in any manner, that has an overall capacity of, or that can be readily restored, changed, or converted to accept, more than 15 rounds of ammunition
An attached tubular device designed for, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition would be excluded from the definition.
does not include an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.
The proposed prohibition would cover importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, and possession in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce. The exception for devices otherwise lawfully possessed on or before enactment would protect possession; it would not itself exempt later sales or transfers.
(1) It shall be unlawful for a person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a large capacity ammunition feeding device. (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the possession of any large capacity ammunition feeding device otherwise lawfully possessed on or before the date of enactment of the Keep Americans Safe Act.
An exception would permit importation and manufacture for, sale and transfer to, and possession by federal and state governments, their departments and agencies, and state political subdivisions such as local governments.
Paragraph (1) shall not apply to— (A) the importation for, manufacture for, sale to, transfer to, or possession by the United States or a department or agency of the United States or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State
Sales and transfers to, and possession by, specified government-employed law enforcement officers and qualifying campus officers would be exempt for law enforcement purposes, whether on or off duty. The bill would use the definition of “qualified law enforcement officer” in section 926B, which is not reproduced in the supplied text.
or a sale or transfer to or possession by a qualified law enforcement officer employed by the United States or a department or agency of the United States or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State for purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off-duty), or a sale or transfer to or possession by a campus law enforcement officer for purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off-duty)
The term qualified law enforcement officer has the meaning given the term in section 926B.
The campus-officer exception would require employment by a private college or university eligible for federal funding under title IV of the Higher Education Act. Officers would also need specified crime-prevention or investigation duties, legal authority to carry firearms, execute search warrants and make arrests, and government recognition, commissioning, or certification.
(4) For purposes of paragraph (3)(A), the term campus law enforcement officer means an individual who is— (A) employed by a private institution of higher education that is eligible for funding under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.); (B) responsible for the prevention or investigation of crime involving injury to persons or property, including apprehension or detention of persons for such crimes; (C) authorized by Federal, State, or local law to carry a firearm, execute search warrants, and make arrests; and (D) recognized, commissioned, or certified by a government entity as a law enforcement officer.
An exception would allow importation for, and sales or transfers to, Atomic Energy Act licensees for federally required on-site security systems. Their employees and contractors could possess devices on-site for that purpose, or off-site for licensee-authorized training or transportation of nuclear materials.
(B) the importation for, or sale or transfer to a licensee under title I of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) for purposes of establishing and maintaining an on-site physical protection system and security organization required by Federal law, or possession by an employee or contractor of such licensee on-site for such purposes or off-site for purposes of licensee-authorized training or transportation of nuclear materials
People retired in good standing from a law enforcement agency, who are not otherwise barred from receiving ammunition, could possess devices sold or transferred to them by the agency upon retirement or obtained by them for official use before retirement.
(C) the possession, by an individual who is retired in good standing from service with a law enforcement agency and is not otherwise prohibited from receiving ammunition, of a large capacity ammunition feeding device— (i) sold or transferred to the individual by the agency upon such retirement; or (ii) that the individual purchased, or otherwise obtained, for official use before such retirement
Licensed manufacturers and importers could import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess covered devices for testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General.
(D) the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of any large capacity ammunition feeding device by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General.
Devices manufactured after enactment would need a serial number and manufacturing date legibly and conspicuously engraved or cast on them. The Attorney General would prescribe additional identification requirements through regulations.
A large capacity ammunition feeding device manufactured after the date of enactment of the Keep Americans Safe Act shall be identified by a serial number and the date on which the device was manufactured or made, legibly and conspicuously engraved or cast on the device, and such other identification as the Attorney General shall by regulations prescribe.
The bill would add covered devices and references to the new prohibition to existing seizure and forfeiture provisions—rules governing government seizure and loss of ownership of property. The supplied amendments do not reproduce the complete rules or procedures.
(c) Seizure and forfeiture of large capacity ammunition feeding devices Section 924(d) of title 18, United States Code, is amended
(i) by striking Any firearm or ammunition involved in and inserting Any firearm or ammunition or large capacity ammunition feeding device involved in; (ii) by striking or (k) and inserting (k), or (v); and (iii) by striking any firearm or ammunition intended and inserting any firearm or ammunition or large capacity ammunition feeding device intended
(3) in paragraph (3)(E), by inserting 922(v), after 922(n),.
The bill would add the new subsection (v) prohibition to an existing criminal-penalty provision. The amendment does not state the applicable fine, prison term, or other conditions of liability.
4. Penalties Section 924(a)(1)(B) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking or (q) and inserting (q), or (v).
The bill would add compensation for surrendered covered devices under buy-back programs as an allowable use of Byrne grants. This provision permits a funding use; it does not itself specify a new appropriation or payment amount.
5. Use of Byrne grants for buy-back programs for large capacity ammunition feeding devices Section 501(a)(1) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10152(a)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (J) Compensation for surrendered large capacity ammunition feeding devices, as that term is defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code, under buy-back programs for large capacity ammunition feeding devices.
If a provision, amendment, or its application were held unconstitutional, the bill directs that the remaining provisions and applications remain unaffected. This is a severability clause, intended to preserve the rest of the measure.
If any provision of this Act, an amendment made by this Act, or the application of such provision or amendment to any person or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act, the amendments made by this Act, and the application of such provision or amendment to any person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated September 19, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Judiciary Committee on February 27, 2025. It does not establish subsequent advancement or enactment.
Source snapshot updated 2026-09-19T23:19:19Z. 2025-02-27: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. 2025-02-27: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-27. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy rider attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for a particular recipient or place was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not determine formal earmark status in absent accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The supplied introduced text contains narrow exclusions and exceptions from the proposed restrictions. These are related to the main policy; identifying them does not judge their justification.
Owners and suppliers of attached tubular devices designed for and operating only with .22 caliber rimfire ammunition would receive a product-specific exclusion from the definition, even where a device would otherwise meet the capacity threshold.
that has an overall capacity of, or that can be readily restored, changed, or converted to accept, more than 15 rounds of ammunition; and (B) does not include an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.
Qualifying campus law enforcement officers employed by private higher education institutions eligible for title IV funding would receive an exception from the proposed device prohibition for sales or transfers to them and possession by them for law enforcement purposes, whether on or off duty. Eligibility also requires specified crime-prevention or investigation responsibilities, legal authority to carry a firearm, execute search warrants and make arrests, and government recognition, commissioning, or certification as a law enforcement officer.
or a sale or transfer to or possession by a campus law enforcement officer for purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off-duty)
(4) For purposes of paragraph (3)(A), the term campus law enforcement officer means an individual who is— (A) employed by a private institution of higher education that is eligible for funding under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.); (B) responsible for the prevention or investigation of crime involving injury to persons or property, including apprehension or detention of persons for such crimes; (C) authorized by Federal, State, or local law to carry a firearm, execute search warrants, and make arrests; and (D) recognized, commissioned, or certified by a government entity as a law enforcement officer.
Atomic Energy Act licensees and their employees or contractors would receive a specific exception from the proposed restrictions for federally required security, with employee and contractor possession also allowed off-site for licensee-authorized training or nuclear-material transportation.
(B) the importation for, or sale or transfer to a licensee under title I of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) for purposes of establishing and maintaining an on-site physical protection system and security organization required by Federal law, or possession by an employee or contractor of such licensee on-site for such purposes or off-site for purposes of licensee-authorized training or transportation of nuclear materials
Qualifying retired law enforcement personnel would receive an exception from the proposed possession prohibition for devices obtained from their agency upon retirement or acquired for official use beforehand. Eligibility requires retirement in good standing and no other prohibition on receiving ammunition.
(C) the possession, by an individual who is retired in good standing from service with a law enforcement agency and is not otherwise prohibited from receiving ammunition, of a large capacity ammunition feeding device— (i) sold or transferred to the individual by the agency upon such retirement; or (ii) that the individual purchased, or otherwise obtained, for official use before such retirement
Licensed manufacturers and importers would receive an exception covering otherwise prohibited activities when undertaken for testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General.
(D) the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of any large capacity ammunition feeding device by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Sep 19, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI