Congressional Research Service

Michael A. Foster

The Supreme Court of the United States

William J. Krouse

Federal firearms regulation has been a subject of continuous interest for legislators. In recent Con-gresses, a range of proposals has been introduced, with some seeking to ease various federal firearms restrictions or facilitate reciprocity in state treatment of persons authorized to carry firearms by other states. Other proposals have sought greater restrictions on the federal rules concerning the possession, transfer, or sale of firearms or the expansion of background checks for firearm purchases. These various approaches, in turn, prompt debate about not only their pros and cons but also their legalities, as Congress's ability to legislate on such matters must comport with the Second Amendment and other constitutional constraints. This book provides all the major federal gun laws as well as the United States Supreme Court cases which interpreted the Second Amendment. 
Contents
U.S. Gun Policy: Framework and Major Issues 
Federal Firearms Law: Selected Developments in the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches 
Major Federal Gun Laws
National Firearms Act (NFA) (1934) 
Federal Firearms Act of 1938 (FFA) 
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 
Gun Control Act of 1968 
The Firearm Owners' Protection Act (FOPA) of 1986 
Undetectable Firearms Act (1988)
Gun-Free School Zones Act (1990) 
Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (1993) 
Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (2004) 
Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (2005) 
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (2022) 
Firearm Court Cases in the United States
United States v. Cruikshank (1875) 
Presser v. State of Illinois (1886) 
United States v. Miller (1939) 
District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) 
Caetano v. Massachusetts (2016)
New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. City of New York (2020)
New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen (2022)