# 114-hr-2871: Keeping Guns From Criminals Act

114-hr-2871, Keeping Guns From Criminals Act, is a 114th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8] (D-VA); status Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-2871
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 114-hr-2871
- Congress: 114
- Title: Keeping Guns From Criminals Act
- Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
- Introduced: 2015-06-24
- Sponsor: Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8] (D-VA)
- Cosponsors: 19
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Keeping Guns From Criminals Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to modify the criminal liability standard for certain firearm sales or transfers. Current law makes it a crime for any person to knowingly sell or transfer a firearm to a prohibited person (i.e., a person who is prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm). This legislation eliminates the "knowingly" standard to impose criminal liability on any person who sells or transfers a firearm to a prohibited person, regardless of whether such seller or transferor knows that the buyer is a prohibited person. A defendant seller or transferor may assert as an affirmative defense against prosecution evidence to prove that the buyer or recipient passed a background check or possessed a valid concealed carry permit in the state of transfer. The affirmative defense does not apply if defendant knew or had reasonable cause to believe the buyer or recipient was a prohibited person.

## Cosponsors (19)

- Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10] (D-CA), 2015-06-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Rice, Kathleen M. [D-NY-4] (D-NY), 2015-06-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3] (D-OR), 2015-06-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2015-07-07T00:00:00.000Z
- SAM FARR (D-CA), 2015-07-07T00:00:00.000Z
- LOUISE SLAUGHTER (D-NY), 2015-07-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20] (D-FL), 2015-07-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (D-MA), 2015-07-07T00:00:00.000Z
- CHARLES RANGEL (D-NY), 2015-07-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9] (D-NY), 2015-07-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9] (D-MA), 2015-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tsongas, Niki [D-MA-3] (D-MA), 2015-11-03T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Speier, Jackie [D-CA-14] (D-CA), 2015-12-10T00:00:00.000Z
- ELIOT ENGEL (D-NY), 2015-12-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52] (D-CA), 2016-07-06T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD), 2015-06-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11] (D-VA), 2015-06-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5] (D-NY), 2015-06-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2015-06-24T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 114-hr-5044: Making supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2016 to respond to Zika virus.
- 114-hr-4592: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act
- 114-hr-4479: Families of Flint Act
- 114-hr-4269: Assault Weapons Ban of 2015
- 114-hr-3308: Seniors Have Eyes, Ears, and Teeth Act
- 114-hr-3268: PAST Act

## Sources
- [114-hr-2871 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2871)

## Related
- [114-hr-5044: Making supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2016 to respond to Zika viru…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-5044)
- [114-hr-4592: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-4592)
- [114-hr-4479: Families of Flint Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-4479)
- [114-hr-4269: Assault Weapons Ban of 2015](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-4269)
- [114-hr-3308: Seniors Have Eyes, Ears, and Teeth Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3308)
- [114-hr-3268: PAST Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3268)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-2871 (as of 2025-11-18).