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Everytown For Gun Safety Applauds U.S. House for Passing Amendment to Prevent Online Distribution of Blueprints that Enable 3D Printing of Untraceable and Undetectable Guns

7.11.2019

WASHINGTON – Everytown for Gun Safety today applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for passing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, introduced by Representative Norma Torres (D-CA), that would prevent the online distribution of blueprints that enable 3D printing of untraceable and undetectable guns. Widespread do-it-yourself gun printing undermines federal and state laws that prohibit gun possession for people who pose the most serious danger to the public—including felons and domestic abusers.

This amendment, which passed with bipartisan support, would also prevent easy overseas export of American-made firearms into conflict zones and into the hands of human rights abusers and terrorists, endangering national security and removing long-standing protections under our laws.

“Downloadable, untraceable guns are a clear threat to public safety, and the time to stop this deadly technology is now,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “Today the House did the right thing and voted to stop efforts to allow the online distribution of blueprints that would enable dangerous people to make their own gun without a background check. We applaud Rep. Torres for her leadership on this issue.”

In 2018, the Trump Administration attempted to settle a lawsuit and allow one company to publish blueprints for downloadable guns, without notice or a formal rulemaking process — even though the law required the State Department to protect Americans from untraceable, do-it-yourself firearms. After 20 state attorneys general filed suit, a federal judge blocked the State Department from allowing the publication of the blueprints. Additionally, a proposed rule is pending that seeks to permanently remove downloadable guns from the United States Munitions List and transfer jurisdiction over downloadable guns to the Commerce Department.