Two Republicans and two Democrats in the House introduced legislation on Tuesday that would allow the federal government to regulate bump stocks, which can be used legally today to effectively turn a semi-automatic weapon into an automatic weapon.
The Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act is a response to the failure of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to impose new regulations on bump stocks.
The National Rifle Association and many congressional Republicans said they would prefer the ATF to regulate the devices after a shooter used them to kill 59 people in Las Vegas this month.
But the ATF has signaled to Congress that regulating bump stocks would require a change to U.S. law.
Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.; Dan Kildee, D-Mich.; Dina Titus, D-Nev.; and Dave Trott, R-Mich.; said their bill is needed to make that change.
“In the wake of the tragedy in Las Vegas, I promised my constituents that I would work on a legislative solution to close the loophole that allows legal semi-automatic firearms to be modified to perform like illegal fully-automatic weapons, and, today, my colleagues and I deliver,” Trott said in a statement.
The bill would allow the ATF to start regulating bump stocks, and would require people buying the device to undergo a background check and fingerprinting, and pay a $200 registration fee.
Titus, who represents the district where the shooting took place, said she and other cosponsors have worked to develop a bipartisan bill that can pass Congress.
“I believe the majority of Americans would agree: Anyone who wants a device that modifies a firearm to shoot hundreds of rounds per minute should undergo thorough background checks and oversight,” she said. “Congress must take meaningful action to address this national epidemic. We cannot stand in silence any longer.”
It’s not clear, however, that Republican leaders in the House or Senate will take up the bill. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., made it clear this month that he prefers a regulatory solution, and leaders haven’t given any indication that legislation is possible.
Even when Democrats controlled the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., had to pull a gun control bill due to lack of enough support from Democrats.
