<P> The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, H.R. 3355, Pub. L. 103--322 is an Act of Congress dealing with crime and law enforcement; it became law in 1994 . It is the largest crime bill in the history of the United States and consisted of 356 pages that provided for 100,000 new police officers, $9.7 billion in funding for prisons and $6.1 billion in funding for prevention programs, which were designed with significant input from experienced police officers . Sponsored by Representative Jack Brooks of Texas, the bill was originally written by Senator Joe Biden of Delaware and then was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton . </P> <P> Following the 101 California Street shooting, the 1993 Waco Siege, and other high - profile instances of violent crime, the Act expanded federal law in several ways . One of the most noted sections was the Federal Assault Weapons Ban . Other parts of the Act provided for a greatly expanded federal death penalty, new classes of individuals banned from possessing firearms, and a variety of new crimes defined in statutes relating to immigration law, hate crimes, sex crimes, and gang - related crime . The bill also required states to establish registries for sexual offenders by September 1997 . </P> <P> Title XI - Firearms, Subtitle A-Assault Weapons, formally known as the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act but commonly known as the Federal Assault Weapons Ban or the Semi-Automatic Firearms Ban, barred the manufacture of 19 specific semi-automatic firearms, classified as "assault weapons", as well as any semi-automatic rifle, pistol, or shotgun capable of accepting a detachable magazine that has two or more features considered characteristic of such weapons . The list of such features included telescoping or folding stocks, pistol grips, flash suppressors, grenade launchers, and bayonet lugs . </P> <P> This law also banned possession of newly manufactured magazines holding more than ten rounds of ammunition . </P>

Violent crime and control and law enforcement act