Moskowitz, Markey Seek to Block 3D-Printed Ghost Guns to Keep Families Safe

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23) and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) joined together to reintroduce their 3D Printed Gun Safety Act in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. The commonsense bill prevents the online distribution of blueprints and instructions that allow for the 3D printing of firearms, also known as ghost guns.

Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25) and Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) are once again joining the bill as co-leads. The group previously led similar legislation during the 118^th Congress.

The 3D Printed Gun Safety Act is endorsed by Brady: United Against Gun Violence, Giffords, March For Our Lives, and Newtown Action Alliance.

“It’ll take a multi-pronged approach to end the ongoing gun violence crisis in our country and ensure no community has to face the tragedy my hometown of Parkland did,” said Congressman Moskowitz, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan School Safety & Security Caucus. “That’s only become more urgent with developments from new technology, which is why I’m once again teaming up with Sen. Markey to block 3D-printed ghost guns and devices from our streets. Not only is this equipment nearly impossible to trace, but it can also increase the lethality of traditional firearms. With the safety risk that 3D-printed firearms and accessories pose to communities everywhere, I’m urging Congress to keep our families safe and pass this commonsense bill.”

“We cannot allow untraceable, undetectable 3D-printed guns to become the new weapon of choice for extremists and violent criminals. Too many of us don’t feel safe now because firearms and deadly mass shootings have invaded our communities. As 3D printers become cheaper and easier to operate, this vital legislation would help stem that violent tide by making it unlawful to intentionally distribute digital instructions to print a 3D gun or firearm parts. It’s urgently needed to help keep lethal weapons out of dangerous people’s hands,” said Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz.

“Public safety is at risk if anyone can buy a blueprint for a homemade plastic gun online and build a deadly firearm that is that is untraceable and undetectable,” said Congressman Schneider. “I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce this bill to keep these blueprints from being posted online and continue to close the loopholes that allow individuals to evade our background check system.”

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the use of ghost guns has risen by more than 1000 percent since 2017, and these devices are regularly recovered at crime scenes. Because individuals can use 3D printers to make these firearms on their own out of plastic, they are both almost impossible to trace and may be able to evade detection by metal detectors at security checkpoints.

Moskowitz, a member of the House Judiciary Committee and co-Chair of the Bipartisan School Safety and Security Caucus, has already introduced multiple pieces of legislation this Congress to strengthen gun safety efforts. In advance of February’s seven-year mark since the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, he announced his bipartisan Measures for Safer School Districts (MSD) Act to improve emergency notification systems and bolster interior and exterior doors at schools; bipartisan Single Application for School Safety (SASS) Act to streamline the federal grant application process for school safety funding; and bipartisan EAGLES Act to establish a national program on targeted violence prevention at schools. He is also leading the bipartisan ALYSSA Act to require silent panic alarms in all schools and the bipartisan Strengthening Our Schools (SOS) Act to invest in School Resource Officers. All are commonsense measures to ensure schools are better prepared to keep students safe in the case of emergency.

For more information on Moskowitz’s 3D Printed Gun Safety Act, click HERE.

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