Tlaib Leads Colleagues Urging President Biden to Crack Down on 3D-Printed Ghost Guns

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) led six of her colleagues in a letter to President Biden urging him to take additional steps to reverse the Trump Administration’s de-regulation of 3D-printed firearms, also referred to as “ghost guns” or untraceable firearms without serial numbers that can be assembled at home.

“As critical legislation like the Assault Weapons Ban remains filibustered in the Senate, there are actions that can be taken right now to save lives,” said Congresswoman Tlaib.

Ghost guns are increasingly contributing to the epidemic of gun violence in the United States. President Biden has already taken lifesaving action to ban the possession of ghost guns. However, due to the way federal law is currently structured, the creation, possession and distribution of the blueprints for 3D printing a ghost gun is still legal. The lawmakers are advocating for 3D-Printed Firearms to be added to the Department of State’s Munitions List in the U.S. Code in order to close this loophole. Preventing the creation of these weapons in the first place is a commonsense step to keep our communities safe and end the unchecked spread of these untraceable firearms.

“In mid-2018, the Trump Administration broke a federal law by allowing a small weapons technology company to post blueprints for a 3D-printed gun, which is also referred to as a ‘ghost gun’ due to its lack of a serial number and regulation,” the letter reads. “By the end of 2019, a federal judge had ruled that this deal indeed violated the federal Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution; however 3D-printed weaponry is not included in the Department of State’s Munitions List in the U.S. Code.”

The letter was signed by Congressmembers Jamaal Bowman, André Carson, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Adriano Espaillat, Ann Kirkpatrick, and Sheila Jackson Lee.

“At the moment, it is illegal to own a ghost gun, however, because the 3D printed codes can be legally distributed, Americans can legally manufacture the parts, and create their own illegal gun that is completely untraceable and incredibly dangerous,” the lawmakers continued. “These weapons continue to pose a threat to the safety of our schools, stadiums, places of worship, and other gathering places within our communities.”

The letter is also endorsed by Voters of Tomorrow.

“The Biden Administration can take immediate lifesaving action without cost, and protect our communities by amending the State Department’s Munitions Code, making sure that these lethal blueprints are not available to the public,” the lawmakers concluded.

The full text of the letter can be found here. 

###