Just read HR-5005. What does this mean?

[MicroBalrog]

In the new HR-5005 bill, there's this:

(a) Machineguns for Federal Contractors- Section 922(a)(4) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking `except' and all that follows and inserting `except--

`(A) as specifically authorized by the Attorney General consistent with public safety and necessity; or

`(B) to comply with a contract between any person and the United States which requires that person to provide national security services for the United States or any training related to such services;'.

Now, it's clear B allows people who have contracts for the government to have machineguns. But what is A?

Who can the Attorney General authorize consistent with...

 

[James K]

That is just one of those "catchall" phrases that crops up in laws where Congress can't think of any exceptions, but doesn't want to completely bar them. So they allow the head of the executive department charged with the law's enforcement to make exemptions if necessary. IIRC the phrase has been there, although it used to say the Secretary [of the Treasury]. The homeland security law transferred BATFE from Treasury to Justice, so all the paragraphs referring to the Secretary of the Treasury had to be changed in the law.

Jim

 

[MicroBalrog]

So would the Attorney General be authorize them to give regular people Class II stamps on post-86 machineguns?

 

[publius]

Looks like it was put in there to allow groups like Blackwater to be given a blanket exception by the AG. Basically the gov't realized their own stupid restrictive laws were causing them a lot of extra paperwork.