Fifty Caliber Rifles and Ammunition

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Rep. Waxman Testifies on Fifty Caliber Weapons

Rep. Waxman testified before the California Assembly Select Committee on Gun Violence, calling fifty caliber weapons "among the most dangerous and powerful weapons available today."

State Department Suspends Export of Fifty Caliber Weapons

In reponse to Rep. Waxman's request, the State Department has halted the export of dangerous fifty caliber sniper weapons.

Violence Policy Center Report on Fifty Caliber Sniper Weapons

The Violence Policy Center issued a new report, Voting From the Rooftops: How the Gun Industry Armed Osama bin Laden, Other Foreign and Domestic Terrorists, and Common Criminals with 50 Caliber Sniper Rifles. The report demonstrates the extraordinary dangers posed by long-range, fifty caliber sniper weapons.

Export of Fifty Caliber Weapons

Rep. Waxman sent letters to Secretary Powell and Governer Ridge urging a halt to the export of fifty caliber weapons to foreign nationals abroad.

Legislation Relating to Fifty Caliber Rifles

At the urging of Reps. Blagojevich and Waxman and other members, Congress enacted one important piece of legislation in 1999 relating to fifty caliber sniper weapons as part of the Department of Defense appropriations bill (Pub. L. No. 106-259). This law prohibits the Department of Defense from selling armor-piercing ammunition for fifty caliber weapons to civilians through its demilitarization program. Other Important Pieces of Legislationrelating to fifty caliber sniper weapons have been introduced by Reps. Blagojevich and Waxman, but not enacted into law. In 1999, Reps. Blagojevich and Waxman introduced the Military Sniper Weapon Regulation Act (H.R. 2127) to regulate these weapons under the restrictive standards utilized for machine guns and other dangerous weapons. In 1999, Reps. Blagojevich and Waxman also introduced the Law Enforcement Official Protection and Officer John C. Knight Memorial Act (H.R. 2421) to regulate the sale and manufacture of armor piercing and incendiary ammunition.

Suspect Organizations and Individuals Possessing Long-Range Fifty Caliber Sniper Weapons

At the request of Reps. Blagojevich and Waxman, the Special Investigations Division and the Office of Special Investigations of GAO investigated criminal organizations that use fifty caliber sniper weapons. This investigation found numerous instances in which these weapons were involved in serious crime, including the use of fifty caliber weapons by Branch Davidions at Waco, during multiple homicides at a shopping center in Colorado, and in a foiled assassination attempt against Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Civilian Access to Military Armor Piercing Ammunition

At the request of Reps. Blagojevich and Waxman, the Special Investigations Division in conjunction with the Office of Special Investigations of GAO worked to reveal how the Department of Defense indirectly armed citizens with some of the most powerful and destructive ammunition available. Armor piercing ammunition for fifty caliber weapons can pierce armored vehicles and bulletproof glass when fired at a distance of over a mile. Until Congress acted in response to the investigation, military surplus fifty caliber armor piercing ammunition was readily available in the U.S. civilian market as a result of a little-known Department of Defense demilitarization program. As part of the investigation into fifty caliber sniper rifles, expert Marine snipers provided a demonstration of the power and accuracy of these weapons. The demonstration was recorded on video tape. Also as part of the investigation, undercover investigators from the Office of Special Investigations of GAO taped conversations with ammunition dealers who sell specialized armor-piercing ammunition for fifty caliber sniper weapons.

Fifty Caliber Rifles and Ammunition

The Special Investigations Division, in conjunction with the Office of Special Investigations of GAO, prepared a report for Reps. Blagojevich and Waxman on the availability of fifty caliber sniper rifles and the armor-piercing ammunition used with these weapons.

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