,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #ehcf  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,february #aj1       
#bjbj,mrs4 ,wagner introduced the       
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on the ,judiciary  ,a    
,,bill  ,to direct the ,attorney        
,general to prioritize the investigation
 and prosecution of ,federal firearms   
offenses1 and for other purposes4  #a4  
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,prosecuting ,gun ,crimes ,saves    
,lives ,act4  #b4 ,findings ,the        
,congress finds as follows3 7#a7        
,promoting public safety1 addressing    
gun-based homicides1 and enforcing      
,federal firearms laws are among the    
highest priorities of the ,congress4    
7#b7 ,point-of-sale background checks   
can reduce the risk of gun-based        
homicides by preventing criminals and   
prohibited persons from purchasing      
firearms while protecting access for    
law-abiding citizens4  7#c7 ,under the  
,gun ,control ,act of #aifh1 categories 

of persons who may pose a threat to     
public safety1 including violent felons1
 fugitives from justice1 and persons    
convicted of domestic violence crimes1  
are prohibited from shipping1           
transporting1 receiving1 or possessing  
firearms or ammunition4  7#d7 ,thousands
 of prohibited persons illegally attempt
 to purchase firearms every year4 ,in   
#bjag1 the ,,fbi's ,,nics ,section      
referred #aab1jij denied transactions to
 the ,bureau of ,alcohol1 ,tobacco1     
,firearms and ,explosives 7,,atf74 ,of  
these ,,nics denials1 only #ab1 or #j4ji
 percent1 were prosecuted in #bjag4     
7#e7 ,on ,march #ab1 #bjah1 former      
,attorney ,general ,jeff ,sessions      
issued a memo directing ,department of  
,justice prosecutors to prioritize      
vigorous and appropriate prosecution of 
cases involving false statements on     
,alcohol1 ,tobacco1 ,firearms and       
,explosives ,form #ddgc4 ,the memo      
stated that ,criminals and other        
prohibited persons who attempt to thwart

 the background check process by lying  
on the required forms threaten to       
undermine this important crime          
prevention tool and that we must        
vigilantly protect the integrity of the 
background system through appropriate   
prosecution of those who attempt to     
circumvent the law4 ,the ,department of 
,justice's efforts to reclaim the       
integrity of the background check system
 yielded a #bc-percent increase in the  
number of defendants charged with       
unlawful possession of a firearm in the 
#c months following issuance of the     
memo4  7#f7 ,on ,november #ac1 #bjai1   
,attorney ,general ,william ,barr       
announced the launch of a new           
initiative1 ,project ,guardian1 to      
reduce gun-based homicides by           
investigating1 prosecuting1 and         
preventing firearm crimes4 ,project     
,guardian will address gun-based        
homicides by encouraging coordinated    
prosecution efforts1 enforcement of the 
background check system1 improved       

information-sharing1 response to mental 
health denials1 and crime gun           
intelligence coordination4  7#g7        
,congress must ensure ,federal1 ,state1 
and local entities tasked with          
preventing prohibited individuals from  
purchasing firearms1 recovering firearms
 from prohibited individuals1 and       
investigating and prosecuting lying and 
buying and lying and trying cases have  
sufficient information and resources to 
carry out their missions and promote    
public safety4  7#h7 ,congress urges the
 ,attorney ,general to prioritize the   
investigation and prosecution of        
,federal firearm offenses to protect    
,americans and prevent and deter the    
illegal purchase and possession of      
firearms4  #c4 ,information-sharing with
 ,state fusion centers ,not later than  
#fj days after the date of the enactment
 of this ,act1 the ,attorney ,general   
may direct the ,bureau of ,alcohol1     
,tobacco1 ,firearms and ,explosives to  
regularly provide to ,state and local   

law enforcement agencies1 including     
through ,state law enforcement fusion   
centers 7as defined in section          
#baj;,a7j77#a7 of the ,homeland         
,security ,act of #bjjb7 a report       
listing individuals for whom the        
,national ,instant ,criminal ,background
 ,check ,system has issued firearm      
transfer denials1 including the basis   
for the denial1 with the purpose of     
equipping law enforcement with the      
information they need to prevent persons
 from illegally purchasing1 receiving1  
or possessing firearms4  #d4 ,point of  
contact and partial point of contact    
,state grants to increase investigations
 and prosecutions  7a7 ,in general ,not 
later than #ij days after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act1 and annually
 thereafter1 the ,attorney ,general may 
make grants to eligible ,states to      
investigate firearm transfer denials and
 increase investigations and            
prosecutions of persons who illegally   
purchase1 possess1 or receive a firearm1

 or illegally attempt to purchase1      
possess1 or receive a firearm4  7b7     
,eligibility ,an eligible ,state is any 
,state that is a point of contact ,state
 or partial point of contact ,state for 
the national instant criminal background
 check system4  7c7 ,application ,to    
receive a grant under this section1 a   
,state shall submit to the ,attorney    
,general an application at such time1 in
 such manner1 and containing such       
information as the ,attorney ,general   
may reasonably require4  7d7 ,priority  
,in awarding grants under this section1 
the ,attorney ,general may give priority
 to each eligible ,state that-- 7#a7    
establishes a task force that includes  
entities such as ,state and local law   
enforcement agencies1 ,state and local  
prosecutors1 agencies conducting        
background checks1 and representatives  
from the ,bureau of ,alcohol1 ,tobacco1 
,firearms and ,explosives2 and  7#b7    
certifies to the ,attorney ,general that
 the ,state is committed to             

investigating and prosecuting persons   
who illegally purchase1 possess1 or     
receive firearms or illegally attempt to
 purchase1 possess1 or receive firearms4
  7e7 ,use of funds ,a ,state that      
receives a grant under this section     
shall use grant funds to coordinate and 
execute investigations and prosecutions 
of persons who illegally purchase1      
possess1 or receive a firearm1 or       
illegally attempt such purchase1        
possession1 or receipt1 including the   
illegal purchase or possession of a     
firearm based on a prior felony or any  
relevant misdemeanor convictions4  7f7  
,evaluation ,each ,state that receives a
 grant under this section shall submit  
to the ,attorney ,general1 not later    
than #a year after receipt of such      
grant1 an evaluation in such form and   
containing such information as the      
,attorney ,general may reasonably       
require4  7g7 ,authorization of funding 
,there is authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this section not more than 

#g1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years     
#bjba through #bjbe4  #e4 ,increasing   
,federal prosecution of gun violence    
7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days
 after the date of the enactment of this
 ,act1 the ,attorney ,general shall     
establish in each jurisdiction described
 in subsection 7c7 a program that meets 
the requirements of subsection 7b71     
which shall be known as the ,prosecute  
,gun ,crimes ,program4  7b7 ,program    
elements ,each program established under
 subsection 7a7 shall1 for the          
jurisdiction concerned-- 7#a7 require   
that the ,united ,states attorney       
designate not less than #a assistant    
,united ,states attorneys to prosecute  
violations of ,federal firearms laws2   
7#b7 provide for coordination with      
,state and local law enforcement        
officials in the identification of      
violations of ,federal firearms laws2   
7#c7 provide for the establishment of   
agreements with ,state and local law    
enforcement officials for the referral  

to the ,bureau of ,alcohol1 ,tobacco1   
,firearms and ,explosives and the       
,united ,states attorney for the        
district in which the jurisdiction is   
located for prosecution of persons      
arrested for violations of section #ibb 
or #ibd of title #ah1 ,united ,states   
,code1 or section #ehfa of the ,internal
 ,revenue ,code of #aihf1 relating to   
firearms2  7#d7 ensure that each person 
so referred be charged with a violation 
of the most serious ,federal firearm    
offense consistent with the act         
committed1 while preserving             
prosecutorial discretion2  7#e7 provide 
for the hiring of agents for the ,bureau
 of ,alcohol1 ,tobacco1 ,firearms and   
,explosives to investigate violations of
 the provisions of law specified in     
paragraph 7#c72 and  7#f7 provide for   
the establishment of multijurisdictional
 task forces1 coordinated by the        
,executive ,office of the ,united       
,states attorneys1 to investigate and   
prosecute illegal straw purchasing rings

 that purchase firearms in one          
jurisdiction and transfer them in       
another4  7c7 ,covered jurisdictions    
7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph  
7#b71 the jurisdictions described in    
this subsection are-- 7,a7 the #ae      
cities or jurisdictions within the #ej  
,states with a population equal to or   
greater than #ajj1jjj persons that had  
the highest per capita rate of gun-based
 homicides according to the uniform     
crime report of the ,federal ,bureau of 
,investigation for the most recent year 
available2 and  7,b7 the #c tribal      
jurisdictions that have the highest     
gun-based homicide crime rates1 as      
determined by the ,attorney ,general4   
7d7 ,annual reports ,not later than #a  
year after the date of the enactment of 
this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the 
,attorney ,general shall submit to the  
,committee on the ,judiciary of the     
,senate and the ,committee on the       
,judiciary of the ,house of             
,representatives a report containing the

 following information3 7#a7 ,the number
 of individuals indicted for such       
violations of ,federal firearms laws    
during that year4  7#b7 ,the increase or
 decrease in the number of individuals  
indicted for such violations of ,federal
 firearms laws during that year under a 
program established under this section  
when compared with the year preceding   
that year4  7#c7 ,to the extent the     
information is available1 the average   
length of the sentences of imprisonment 
of the individuals convicted of         
violations of ,federal firearms laws    
under such a program4  7#d7 ,the number 
of multijurisdictional task forces      
established and the number of           
individuals arrested1 indicted1         
convicted or acquitted of charges for   
violations of the crimes specified in   
subsection 7b77#c74  7e7 ,limitations on
 authorization of appropriations  7#a7  
,in general ,for the salaries and       
expenses of assistant ,united ,states   
attorneys and ,bureau of ,alcohol1      

,tobacco1 ,firearms and ,explosives     
agents participating in the program     
established under this section1 there   
are authorized to be appropriated       
#ae1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years    
#bjba1 #bjbb1 and #bjbc4  7#b7 ,use of  
funds  7,a7 ,assistant ,united ,states  
attorneys ,the assistant ,united ,states
 attorneys hired using amounts made     
available under paragraph 7#a7 of this  
subsection shall prosecute violations of
 ,federal firearms laws specified in    
subsection 7b77#c74  7,b7 ,,atf agents  
,the ,bureau of ,alcohol1 ,tobacco1     
,firearms and ,explosives agents hired  
using amounts made available under      
paragraph 7#a7 of this subsection shall1
 to the maximum extent practicable1     
concentrate their investigations on     
violations of ,federal firearms laws    
specified in subsection 7b77#c74  #f4   
,prosecution of felons who attempt to   
illegally purchase firearms  7a7 ,task  
force  7#a7 ,establishment ,there is    
established in the ,department of       

,justice a task force1 which shall be   
known as the ,felon ,firearm ,task      
,force 7referred to in this section as  
the ,task ,force71 to strengthen the    
efforts of the ,department of ,justice  
to investigate and prosecute cases of   
convicted felons who illegally attempt  
to purchase a firearm4  7#b7 ,membership
 ,the members of the ,task ,force shall 
be-- 7,a7 the ,deputy ,attorney         
,general1 who shall serve as the        
,chairperson of the ,task ,force2  7,b7 
the ,assistant ,attorney ,general for   
the ,criminal ,division2  7,c7 the      
,director of the ,bureau of ,alcohol1   
,tobacco1 ,firearms and ,explosives2    
7,d7 the ,director of the ,federal      
,bureau of ,investigation2 and  7,e7    
such other officers or employees of the 
,department of ,justice as the ,attorney
 ,general may designate4  7#c7 ,duties  
,the ,task ,force shall provide-- 7,a7  
direction for the investigation and     
prosecution of cases of convicted felons
 attempting to illegally purchase a     

firearm2 and  7,b7 recommendations to   
the ,attorney ,general relating to-- 7i7
 the allocation and reallocation of     
resources of the ,department of ,justice
 for investigation and prosecution of   
such cases2  7ii7 enhancing cooperation 
among entities of the ,federal          
,government in the investigation and    
prosecution of such cases2  7iii7       
enhancing cooperation among ,federal1   
,state1 and local authorities           
responsible for the investigation and   
prosecution of such cases2 and  7iv7    
changes in rules1 regulations1 or policy
 to improve the effective investigation 
and prosecution of such cases4  7#d7    
,meetings ,the ,task ,force shall meet  
not less than once each year4  7#e7     
,termination ,the ,task ,force shall    
terminate on the date that is #e years  
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act4  7b7 ,authorization for use of    
funds ,section #ebd7;c77#a7 of title    
#bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended--
 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,h71 by striking 

and at the end2  7#b7 in subparagraph   
7,i71 by striking the period at the end 
and inserting 2 and2 and  7#c7 by       
inserting after subparagraph 7,i7 the   
following3  7,j7 the investigation and  
prosecution of cases of convicted felons
 who illegally attempt to purchase a    
firearm1 in accordance with section     
#f7;a7 of the ,prosecuting ,gun ,crimes 
,saves ,lives ,act1 except that-- 7i7   
not more than #e1jjj1jjj shall be       
available to the ,attorney ,general for 
each of fiscal years #bjba through #bjbd
 under this subparagraph2 and  7ii7 not 
more than #e percent of the amounts made
 available under this subparagraph may  
be used for the administrative costs of 
the task force established under such   
section4  4  #g4 ,report to ,congress on
 firearms prosecutions  7a7 ,report to  
,congress ,beginning ,february #a1      
#bjba1 and on ,february #a of each year 
thereafter through #bjbi1 the ,attorney 
,general shall submit to the ,committees
 on the ,judiciary and on               

,appropriations of the ,senate and of   
the ,house of ,representatives a report 
containing the information furnished    
under subsection 7b7 during the fiscal  
year that ended on ,september #cj of the
 preceding year4  7b7 ,subject of annual
 report ,not later than #ij days after  
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,attorney ,general shall require    
each component of the ,department of    
,justice1 including each ,office of the 
,united ,states ,attorney1 to furnish   
for the purposes of the report required 
by subsection 7a7 information relating  
to any case presented to the ,department
 of ,justice for review or prosecution1 
in which the objective facts of the case
 provide probable cause to believe that 
there has been a violation of section   
#ibb or #ibd of title #ah1 ,united      
,states ,code1 or section #ehfa of the  
,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf4  7c7 
,elements of annual report ,with respect
 to each case described in subsection   
7b71 the report submitted under         

subsection 7a7 shall include information
 indicating-- 7#a7 whether in any such  
case1 a decision has been made not to   
charge an individual with a violation of
 the relevant provision of law or any   
other provision of ,federal criminal    
law2  7#b7 in any case described in     
paragraph 7#a71 a description of why no 
charge was filed under the relevant     
provision of law2  7#c7 whether1 in any 
case described in subsection 7b71 an    
indictment1 information1 or other charge
 has been brought against any person1 or
 the matter is pending2  7#d7 whether1  
in the case of an indictment1           
information1 or other charge referred to
 in paragraph 7#c71 the charging        
document contains a count or counts     
alleging a violation of the relevant    
provision of law2  7#e7 in any case     
described in paragraph 7#d7 in which the
 charging document contains a count or  
counts alleging a violation of the      
relevant provision of law1 whether a    
plea agreement of any kind has been     

entered into with the charged           
individual2  7#f7 whether any plea      
agreement described in paragraph 7#e7   
required the individual to plead guilty 
or enter a plea of nolo contendere1 or  
otherwise caused a court to enter a     
conviction against the individual for a 
violation of the relevant provision of  
law2  7#g7 in any case described in     
paragraph 7#f7 in which the plea        
agreement did not require the individual
 to plead guilty or enter a plea of nolo
 contendere1 or otherwise cause a court 
to enter a conviction against that      
individual for a violation of the       
relevant provision of law1 the charges  
to which the individual pled guilty2    
7#h7 in the case of an indictment1      
information1 or other charge described  
in paragraph 7#c71 in which the charging
 document contains a count alleging a   
violation of the relevant provision of  
law1 the result of any trial of the     
charges2  7#i7 in the case of an        
indictment1 information1 or other charge

 described in paragraph 7#c71 in which  
the charging document did not contain a 
count or counts alleging a violation of 
the relevant provision of law1 the      
nature of the other charges brought and 
the result of any trial of such other   
charges brought2  7#aj7 the number of   
persons who attempted to purchase a     
firearm but were denied a firearm       
because of a background check conducted 
in accordance with section #ibb7t7 of   
title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code2 and   
7#aa7 the number of prosecutions        
conducted in relation to persons        
described in paragraph 7#aj74