Florida Senator Bill Nelson is hoping to extend a federal ban on undetectable firearms that’s expected to expire in a few weeks. His aim is to help federal officials get tough on new type of gun they see as a growing problem in the U.S.
The Undetectable Firearms Act was passed in the late 1980s. It makes it illegal to make, sell, or import any firearm that cannot be detected by a metal detector. The longtime ban is set to expire December 9th, and Senator Nelson says he wants not just to renew the ban, but to expand it to help law enforcement crack down on guns entirely made out of plastic using 3-D laser printers.
“People are able to make a fully functioning firearm from their own home with the click of a mouse. And, because they’re made from plastic and they layer plastic upon plastic layer, they’re invisible to metal detectors and other screening devices that are in place at airports and government buildings and office buildings,” said Nelson, in a released video.
The ban has the support of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF. The National Rifle Association did not return a call for comment.
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