Senate Democrats Sneak Gun Control Into Military Funding Bill

Submitted by Gun Owners of America,

Senate Democrats are attempting to sneak an authorization of an outdated gun control law into the “must pass” National Defense Authorization Act, also known as the US Military budget. 

The law in question is the 1988 Undetectable Firearms Act, which was championed by groups like Handgun Control Inc, now known as the Brady Campaign. The Act set the stage for the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban.  

Gun Owners of America is working in Congress today to ensure that history does not repeat itself with either of these attacks on your rights.  

The Act itself bans any firearm that cannot be detected by metal detectors. But back in the 1980s, when this bill was written, detection technology was in its infancy. Nowadays, we have sophisticated detection technology that doesn’t rely on metal detection to find firearms. In fact, modern detection technology can spot all objects, including guns regardless of the materials of their construction. 

The Act itself not only hinders innovation in the firearms industry, but the potential for the weaponization of this law is huge, similar to how the 1934 NFA was weaponized to attack pistol braces and expand ATF’s illegal registry. 

A weaponized ATF might do this using the “Major Components” section of the Undetectable Firearms Act. To state it simply, the section makes clear that all guns and the major parts need to be recognizable by an x-ray machine. Who knows what they could twist into new law via “Regulatory Authority,” or how this could affect newer technologies, like 3D printed firearms, which have been a target of the anti-gun machine since their inception with the Defense Distributed Liberator. 

Anti-Gun politicians like Chuck Schumer knew that they wouldn’t be able to reauthorize this contentious piece of unconstitutional legislation through traditional means, so this reauthorization was added to the NDAA via a process called a substitute amendment. 

These substitute amendments are typically used for fixing grammar or spellchecking bills, but it’s also a way to get law into the final bill text without having it be voted on.  

Requiring firearms to meet archaic standards of metal detection technology from the 1980s is pure feel-good security theater. Reauthorizing the Undetectable Firearms Act will not keep anyone safe from criminals or terrorists intent on doing harm.  

Only law-abiding gun owners and hobbyists will obey this weak, ineffective, and outdated law. On the other hand, if Congress wants to help bolster security at a sensitive location, it ought to invest in and prioritize modern detection technology. 

So, you’re probably asking: “What can we do to stop this from becoming law?” 

Well, the answer lies in the lawmaking process. Both the Senate and the House have their own versions of the NDAA. Because the Senate version has this awful poison pill, but the House version doesn’t, we can stop this by demanding its removal. 

This is where we need your help. Please, call your Senators and Representatives and tell them to remove the “Permanent Authorization of Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988” from the NDAA immediately! 

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We’ll hold the line for you in Washington. We are No Compromise. Join the Fight Now.