Giffords Applauds Bicameral Introduction of Legislation to Prevent the Spread of 3D-Printed Guns
Bill prohibits the online publication of files that allow anybody to print a firearm
June 13, 2019— Today, Giffords , the gun violence prevention organization led by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, praised the introduction of the 3D Printed Gun Safety Act by Representative Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). The bill prohibits the online publication of files or codes that are used to program a 3D printer to produce a firearm.
“3D-printed guns allow dangerous individuals like felons and domestic abusers to evade the background check system completely and get their hands on a weapon. From a basement or living room, a person otherwise prohibited from owning a gun could easily make one the police couldn’t detect,” said Robin Lloyd, Managing Director at Giffords. “These firearms pose a very real threat to our communities; we applaud Senator Markey and Congressman Deutch for making this problem a priority and urge Congress to act swiftly on this bill.”
Firearms produced with 3D printers are just the latest example of a dangerous trend: the rise of “ghost guns.” Ghost guns are firearms that are produced by unlicensed individuals, rather than licensed manufacturers, and are therefore sometimes referred to as “do-it-yourself guns.” Because the individuals who produce them are not licensed manufacturers, they are not subject to existing serialization requirements, which means the firearms do not have serial numbers and cannot be traced by law enforcement if they are used in a crime.
Last summer, the Trump administration reversed a long-standing policy and began allowing a company called Defense Distributed to post electronic files which program 3D printers to print guns online. After the Attorneys General for 19 states and the District of Columbia filed suit, a federal judge ruled to maintain the ban on posting the electronic files. The 3D Printed Gun Safety Act would prohibit all companies and individuals from posting blueprints for 3D-printed firearms online.
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