PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 7, 2003
Bullet Tracing Act To Reduce Gun Violence - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit a licensed manufacturer or importer from transferring a firearm to any person before test firing it and preparing and transmitting ballistics records to the Attorney General. Sets forth civil and criminal penalties for violations, including license suspension for up to five years. Directs the Attorney General to compile the ballistics records in electronic form for use in Federal, State, and local criminal investigations, arrests, indictments, and prosecutions.Directs the Attorney General to assist qualified firearms manufacturers and importers in: (1) obtaining use of new and upgraded computerized ballistics and bullet recovery equipment owned by the Government; (2) training personnel necessary to develop, maintain, research, and evaluate a firearms ballistics information database and to record and transmit to the Attorney General such information; and (3) implementing effective ballistics testing.
People & committees
Rep. Becerra, Xavier [D-CA-31] · D–CA
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 18, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze H.R.24 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine H.R.24 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine H.R.24 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine H.R.24 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.