Congressional Authority to Regulate Firearms: A Legal Overview - April 5, 2013
Summary
Congress has broad authority pursuant to the Commerce Clause to enact laws in areas that may overlap with traditional state jurisdiction. As such, Congress has passed complex statutory provisions that regulate the possession, receipt, transfer, and manufacture of firearms and ammunition.
Generally, courts have upheld the validity of firearms laws pursuant to Congress’scommerce power. However, courts have been confronted with the question of whether federal laws can be applied to intrastate possession and intrastate transfers of firearms, or whether such application exceeds the authority of Congress. This report explores these cases and how courts have analyzed these as-applied challenges under the Supreme Court’s Commerce Clause jurisprudence primarily set forth in United States v. Lopez.
Congressional Authority to Regulate Firearms: A Legal Overview
Contents
Overview of Commerce Clause .................................................1
United States v. Lopezand Progeny ...........................................2
Constitutional Limitations on Congress’s Authority to Regulate Firearms .....4
Commerce Clause Challenges to Federal Firearms Laws .........................6
Intrastate Possession .......................................................7
Possession Without a Jurisdictional Hook.....................................7
Possession with a Jurisdictional Hook .......................................9
Intrastate Transferof Firearms .............................................12
Background Checks...........................................................13
Conclusion ................................................................ 14
Contacts
Author Contact Information..................................................14
For detailed pages go to FAS (PDF) site
Summary
Congress has broad authority pursuant to the Commerce Clause to enact laws in areas that may overlap with traditional state jurisdiction. As such, Congress has passed complex statutory provisions that regulate the possession, receipt, transfer, and manufacture of firearms and ammunition.
Generally, courts have upheld the validity of firearms laws pursuant to Congress’scommerce power. However, courts have been confronted with the question of whether federal laws can be applied to intrastate possession and intrastate transfers of firearms, or whether such application exceeds the authority of Congress. This report explores these cases and how courts have analyzed these as-applied challenges under the Supreme Court’s Commerce Clause jurisprudence primarily set forth in United States v. Lopez.
Congressional Authority to Regulate Firearms: A Legal Overview
Contents
Overview of Commerce Clause .................................................1
United States v. Lopezand Progeny ...........................................2
Constitutional Limitations on Congress’s Authority to Regulate Firearms .....4
Commerce Clause Challenges to Federal Firearms Laws .........................6
Intrastate Possession .......................................................7
Possession Without a Jurisdictional Hook.....................................7
Possession with a Jurisdictional Hook .......................................9
Intrastate Transferof Firearms .............................................12
Background Checks...........................................................13
Conclusion ................................................................ 14
Contacts
Author Contact Information..................................................14
For detailed pages go to FAS (PDF) site
