United States · Bill · S
S. 659 (108th)
Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act
Introduced
19 March 2003
Last action
20 March 2003 · Introduced
Status
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4169)
Sponsors
Rep. Craig, Larry E. [R-ID-1], Rep. Baucus, Max [D-MT-1], Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN], Sen. Allard, Wayne [R-CO], Sen. Allen, George [R-VA], Sen. Bennett, Robert F. [R-UT], Sen. Bond, Christopher S. [R-MO], Rep. Breaux, John B. [D-LA-7], Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS], Rep. Bunning, Jim [R-KY-4], Sen. Burns, Conrad R. [R-MT], Rep. Campbell, Ben Nighthorse [D-CO-3], Sen. Chambliss, Saxby [R-GA], Rep. Cochran, Thad [R-MS-4], Sen. Coleman, Norm [R-MN], Susan Collins, John Cornyn, Mike Crapo, Sen. Dole, Elizabeth [R-NC], Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM], Rep. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND-At Large], Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV], Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY], Sen. Frist, William H. [R-TN], Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC], Chuck Grassley, Rep. Gregg, Judd [R-NH-2], Sen. Hagel, Chuck [R-NE], Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT], Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX], Rep. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK-1], Rep. Johnson, Tim [D-SD-At Large], Rep. Kyl, Jon [R-AZ-4], Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA], Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR], Rep. Lott, Trent [R-MS-5], Mitch McConnell, Sen. Miller, Zell [D-GA], Lisa Murkowski, Sen. Nelson, Ben [D-NE], Sen. Nickles, Don [R-OK], Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV], Rep. Roberts, Pat [R-KS-1], Sen. Santorum, Rick [R-PA], Sen. Sessions, Jeff [R-AL], Sen. Shelby, Richard C. [D-AL], Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR], Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA]
Subjects
Discovery layer
Source updated
10 August 2026
Summary
Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act - Prohibits any qualified civil liability action from being brought in any State or Federal court and requires pending actions to be dismissed. Defines such an action to: (1) include an action brought against a manufacturer or seller of a firearm, ammunition, or a component of a firearm that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, or against a trade association of such manufacturers or sellers, for damages resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm; and (2) exclude an action brought against persons who transfer a firearm knowing that it will be used to commit a crime of violence or a drug trafficking crime; an action brought against a seller for negligent entrustment or negligence per se; an action in which a manufacturer or seller of a firearm willfully violated a State or Federal statute applicable to the sale or marketing of the firearm and the violation was a proximate cause of the harm for which relief is sought; an action for breach of contract or warranty in connection with the purchase of the firearm; or an action for physical injuries or property damage resulting directly from a defect in design or manufacture of the firearm when used as intended.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
19 March 2003
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3998-3999
Source: IntroReferral
19 March 2003
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3997-3998)
Source: IntroReferral
19 March 2003
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
20 March 2003
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4169)
Source: IntroReferral
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
- Introduced in Senate · 19 March 2003 · Official file
Documents
3 official files
Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 19 March 2003
Introduced in Senate (PDF)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 19 March 2003
Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 19 March 2003
Sponsors
- Rep. Craig, Larry E. [R-ID-1] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Baucus, Max [D-MT-1] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Allard, Wayne [R-CO] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Allen, George [R-VA] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Bennett, Robert F. [R-UT] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Bond, Christopher S. [R-MO] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Breaux, John B. [D-LA-7] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Bunning, Jim [R-KY-4] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Burns, Conrad R. [R-MT] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Campbell, Ben Nighthorse [D-CO-3] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Chambliss, Saxby [R-GA] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Cochran, Thad [R-MS-4] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Coleman, Norm [R-MN] · R · Sponsor
- Susan Collins · R · Sponsor
- John Cornyn · R · Sponsor
- Mike Crapo · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Dole, Elizabeth [R-NC] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND-At Large] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Ensign, John [R-NV] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Frist, William H. [R-TN] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC] · R · Sponsor
- Chuck Grassley · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Gregg, Judd [R-NH-2] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Hagel, Chuck [R-NE] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK-1] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Johnson, Tim [D-SD-At Large] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Kyl, Jon [R-AZ-4] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Lott, Trent [R-MS-5] · R · Sponsor
- Mitch McConnell · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Miller, Zell [D-GA] · D · Sponsor
- Lisa Murkowski · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Nelson, Ben [D-NE] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Nickles, Don [R-OK] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Roberts, Pat [R-KS-1] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Santorum, Rick [R-PA] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Sessions, Jeff [R-AL] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Shelby, Richard C. [D-AL] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA] · R · Sponsor
Showing 48 of 56 sponsors and actors.
Related records
- related to → Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/senate-bill/659
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/108/s/659
- us · 108-s-659 · source updated 10 August 2026