bailey argued october decided december petitioners bailey robinson convicted federal drug offenses violating relevant part imposes prison term upon person relation drug trafficking crime uses carries firearm bailey conviction based loaded pistol police found inside bag locked car trunk arrested possession cocaine revealed search car passenger compartment unloaded holstered firearm provided basis robinson conviction found locked trunk bedroom closet arrested number offenses evidence either case defendant actively employed firearm way consolidating cases affirming convictions appeals sitting en banc applied accessibility proximity test determine use within meaning holding cases gun sufficiently accessible proximate drugs drug proceeds jury properly infer defendant placed gun order drug offenses protect possession drugs held section requires evidence sufficient show active employment firearm defendant use makes page ii firearm operative factor relation predicate offense evidence proximity accessibility firearm drugs drug proceeds alone sufficient support conviction use statute pp although appeals correctly ruled use must connote mere possession firearm person commits drug offense accessibility proximity standard renders use virtually synonymous possession makes role statutory word carries superfluous section language instead indicates congress intended use active sense avail oneself smith reading receives support context within statutory scheme neither section amendment history smith supra contrary thus sustain conviction use prong government must show defendant actively employed firearm relation predicate crime reading use includes acts brandishing displaying bartering striking firing attempting fire firearm well making reference firearm defendant possession include mere placement firearm protection near site drug crime proceeds paraphernalia nearby concealment gun ready imminent confrontation pp evidence insufficient support either bailey robinson conviction use reading word pp however appeals consider liability carry prong basis upholding convictions cases must remanded delivered opinion unanimous page together robinson also certiorari bailey justice delivered opinion consolidated petitions challenge conviction relevant part section imposes minimum term imprisonment upon person relation crime violence drug trafficking crime uses carries firearm asked decide whether evidence proximity accessibility firearm drugs drug proceeds alone sufficient support conviction use firearm relation drug trafficking offense may petitioner roland bailey stopped police officers noticed car lacked front license plate inspection sticker bailey failed produce driver license officers bailey ordered car stepped officers saw bailey push something seat front console search passenger compartment revealed one round ammunition plastic bags containing total grams cocaine arresting bailey officers searched trunk car found among number items large amount cash bag containing loaded pistol bailey charged several counts including using carrying firearm violation prosecution expert testified trial drug dealers frequently carry firearm protect drugs money well bailey convicted jury charges sentence included consecutive term imprisonment conviction appeals district columbia circuit rejected bailey claim evidence insufficient support conviction bailey cadc held bailey convicted using firearm relation drug trafficking crime jury reasonably infer gun facilitated bailey commission drug offense bailey case explained trier fact reasonably infer bailey used gun trunk protect drugs drug proceeds facilitate sales judge douglas ginsburg dissenting part argued prior circuit precedent required reversal bailey conviction june undercover officer made controlled buy crack cocaine petitioner candisha robinson officer observed robinson retrieve drugs bedroom apartment second controlled buy police executed search warrant apartment inside locked trunk bailey bedroom closet police found among things unloaded holstered derringer papers tax return belonging robinson grams crack cocaine marked bill first controlled buy robinson indicted number counts including using carrying firearm violation prosecution expert testified derringer second gun type gun drug dealer might hide person use reaching real gun expert also testified drug dealers generally use guns protect dealers police employees robinson convicted counts including count received term imprisonment district denied robinson motion judgment acquittal respect using carrying conviction ruled evidence sufficient establish violation divided panel appeals reversed robinson conviction count robinson cadc determined iven way section drafted even individual intends use firearm connection drug trafficking offense conduct individual reached statute unless individual actually uses firearm purpose held robinson possession unloaded derringer locked trunk bedroom closet fell significantly short type evidence previously held necessary establish actual use mere proximity gun drugs held insufficient support conviction judge henderson dissented arguing among things firearm facilitated robinson distribution drugs protected robinson drugs sales bailey order resolve apparent inconsistencies decisions applying appeals district columbia circuit consolidated two cases reheard en banc divided opinion majority held evidence sufficient establish defendant used firearm relation drug trafficking offense affirmed conviction case cadc en banc majority rejected multifactor weighing approach determine sufficiency evidence support conviction district columbia circuit previously applied nonexclusive set factors including accessibility gun proximity drugs whether loaded type weapon involved whether expert testimony supported government theory use majority explained approach invited reviewing reweigh evidence make finding respect ultimate fact function properly left jury produced widely divergent contradictory results step broader definition use employed circuits replaced multifactor test accessibility proximity test hold one uses gun avails oneself gun therefore violates whenever one puts keeps gun particular place one one agent gain access needed facilitate drug crime applied new standard affirmed convictions bailey robinson cases determined gun sufficiently accessible proximate drugs drug proceeds jury properly infer defendant placed gun order drug offenses protect possession drugs bailey judge wald dissent argued previous multifactor test provided better standard appellate review convictions judge williams joined judges silberman buckley also dissented explained understanding use denoted active employment firearm rather possession contingent intent use articulating proximity plus accessibility test however effect diluted use mean simply possession floating intent use ibid debate within district columbia circuit illustrates source much perplexity courts circuits conflict standards articulated compare mere possession sufficient satisfy cert denied mere possession insufficient results reached compare presence gun dresser drawer apartment drugs drug proceeds paraphernalia insufficient meet mcfadden evidence gun hidden mattress money near drugs sufficient show use hager cert denied gun boots living room near drugs used granted certiorari clarify meaning use ii section requires imposition specified penalties defendant relation bailey crime violence drug trafficking crime uses carries firearm petitioners argue use signifies active employment firearm respondent opposes definition defends proximity accessibility test adopted appeals agree petitioners hold requires evidence sufficient show active employment firearm defendant use makes firearm operative factor relation predicate offense case first one grappled proper understanding use smith faced question whether barter gun drugs use concluded smith debate smith illustrated word use poses interpretational difficulties different meanings attributable consider paradoxical statement use gun protect house never use use draws meaning context look word also statute sentencing scheme determine meaning congress intended agree majority use must connote mere possession firearm person commits drug offense see accord supra theodoropoulos wilson congress intended possession alone trigger liability easily provided obvious conclusion supported frequent use term possess statutes describe prohibited conduct see appeals erred conclusion use means mere possession standard evaluating whether involvement bailey firearm amounted something mere possession proximity accessibility standard provides almost limitation kind possession criminalized practice nearly every possession firearm person engaged drug trafficking satisfy standard thereby eras ing line statutes courts tried draw mcfadden supra breyer dissenting rather requiring actual use district columbia circuit criminalize simpl possession floating intent use williams dissenting shortcomings test succinctly explained judge williams dissent majority attempts concept facilitation thereby use twin guideposts proximity accessibility ultimate result possession amounts use possession enhances defendant confidence congress intended need mentioned possession regard majority test either broad assure automatic affirmance jury conviction broad unlikely produce clear guideline citations omitted conclusion conviction use firearm requires showing mere possession requires us answer difficult question must government show beyond mere possession establish use purposes statute conclude language bailey context history indicate government must show active employment firearm start must language statute see ron pair enterprises word use statute must given ordinary natural meaning meaning variously defined convert one service employ avail oneself carry purpose action means smith supra slip internal quotation marks omitted citing webster new international dictionary english language ed black law dictionary ed various definitions use imply action implementation see also mcfadden breyer dissenting ordinary meanings words use carry connote activity beyond simple possession consider bare meaning word also placement purpose statutory scheme meaning statutory language plain depends context brown gardner slip citing king vincent looking past word use read assumption congress intended terms meaning judges hesitate treat surplusage statutory terms setting resistance heightened words describe element criminal offense ratzlaf slip congress specified two types conduct firearm uses carries government reading use includes even action defendant puts gun place protect drugs embolden reading breadth role remains bailey carry government admits meanings use carry converge interpretation maintains overlap product particular history therefore government argues canon construction instructs legislature presumed used superfluous words platt union pacific inapplicable brief disagree nothing indicates congress provided two terms intended understood redundant assume congress used two terms intended term particular nonsuperfluous meaning broad reading use undermines virtually function carry limited active interpretation use preserves meaningful role carries alternative basis charge interpretation enunciate today firearm used without carried offender gun display transaction barters firearm without handling firearm carried without used offender keeps gun hidden clothing throughout drug transaction reading receives support context observed smith using firearm different meaning slip see also savings assn timbers inwood forest provision may seem ambiguous isolation often clarified remainder statutory scheme section provides forfeiture firearm used intended used bailey certain crimes provision congress recognized distinction firearms used commission crime intended used provided forfeiture weapon even used however liability attaches cases actual use intended use offender places firearm intent use later necessary difference two provisions demonstrates congress meant broaden application statute beyond actual use congress specified amendment history casts light congress intended meaning original version passed read whoever uses firearm commit felony may prosecuted carries firearm unlawfully commission felony may prosecuted phrase uses commit indicates congress originally intended reach situation firearm actively employed commission crime original language stretched far cover firearm played detectable role crime commission example defendant stored gun nearby closet retrieval case deal went sour use firearm commit crime version also shows use carry employed distinctly different meanings congress amendment altered scope predicate offenses felony crime bailey violence removed unlawfully requirement merged uses carries prongs substituted relation predicate crimes earlier provisions linking firearm predicate crimes raised minimum sentence five years stat government argues amendment stripped uses carries qualifications commit unlawfully originally gave distinct meanings terms understood overlap course smith recognized congress subsequent amendments employed use expansively cover use weapon use item barter see smith supra slip evidence indicate congress intended expand meaning use far swallow significance carry congress intended deprive use active connotations simply substituted appropriate term possession cover conduct wished reach government nonetheless argues observation smith language sweeps broadly slip precludes limiting use active employment decision today inconsistent smith although declined limit use meaning use weapon interpretation nonetheless adhered active meaning term smith clear defendant used gun question whether particular use bartering came within meaning smith address question face today evidence required permit jury find firearm used illustrate activities fall within definition use provided briefly describe bailey activities fall within active employment firearm understanding use certainly includes brandishing displaying bartering striking obviously firing attempting fire firearm note reading compels conclusion even offender reference firearm possession satisfy thus reference firearm calculated bring change circumstances predicate offense use silent obvious forceful presence gun table use example given use gun protect house never use shows use takes different meanings depending context first phrase example use refers ongoing inactive function fulfilled firearm sense use underlies government contention placement protection placement firearm provide sense security embolden constitutes use follows according argument gun placed closet used mere presence emboldens protects owner disagree reading mere possession firearm drug offender near site drug crime proceeds paraphernalia use offender availability intimidation attack defense always presumably embolden comfort offender inert presence firearm without enough trigger perhaps nonactive nature asserted use clearer synonym used storage defendant charged merely storing weapon near drugs drug proceeds storage firearm without active employment reasonably distinguishable possession possibly difficult question arises bailey offender conceals gun nearby ready imminent confrontation cf wald dissenting discussing distinction firearm accessibility drugs drug proceeds accessibility defendant might argue offender actively employed gun hiding grab use necessary view use extend encompass action gun disclosed mentioned offender actively employed used conclude otherwise distort language statute well create impossible problem ready firearm within arm reach room house long confrontation place five minutes hours placement later active use constitute use alternative rationale placement ready use placement made intent put firearm future active use also fails discussed demonstrates congress knew draft statute reach firearm intended used chose include term instead established mandatory minimum defendants actually use firearm undeniable reading use restricts scope government often means available charge offenders mix guns drugs carry prong example brings offenders satisfy use prong within reach statute sentencing guidelines provides enhancement person convicted certain offenses firearm possessed offense sentencing commission guidelines manual word use support extended bailey applications prosecutors sometimes placed order penalize offenders firearms possession test set forth appeals renders use virtually synonymous possession makes role carry superfluous language supported history context compels conclusion congress intended use active sense avail oneself sustain conviction use prong government must show defendant actively employed firearm relation predicate crime ii determined use denotes active employment must conclude evidence insufficient support either bailey robinson conviction use police stopped bailey traffic offense arrested finding cocaine driver compartment car police found firearm inside bag locked car trunk evidence bailey actively employed firearm way robinson case unloaded holstered firearm provided basis conviction found locked footlocker bedroom closet evidence showed robinson actively employed firearm reverse judgments bailey robinson charged use carry prongs appeals consider liability carry prong bailey robinson remand consideration basis upholding convictions ordered