Biden-Harris administration launches gun control effort aimed at 3D printed firearms and machine gun conversion devices
By isabelle // 2024-10-28
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The Biden-Harris administration is making a last-ditch gun control effort with newly announced executive orders that are focused on two main areas: 3D printed firearms and machine gun conversion devices. One of the orders seeks to set up an “Emerging Firearms Threats Task Force” that will be in charge of assessing “the threat posed by machinegun conversion devices and unserialized, 3D-printed firearms.” It will be made up of leadership from different federal agencies and departments. It also calls for authorities to assess the legal and operational capacities of federal agencies to detect and seize both unserialized 3D printed firearms and machine gun conversion devices; they must issue a report on this matter within 90 days. 3D printed firearms can be built using code downloaded from the internet, which makes them highly accessible. Known as “ghost guns,” their lack of serial numbers is particularly concerning to the administration because it makes them impossible to trace, while the fact that they can be made using materials other than metal means they can’t be detected by the metal detectors used in courthouses, airports and for securing major events. Biden said in his announcement that the guns can be 3D printed for under 40 cents in the span of half an hour. It is also focusing on “Glock switches,” or pieces of plastic or metal that can make Glock pistols fire fully automatic rather than semi-automatic by placing force on the trigger bar. This, by the way, is already illegal, so some observers believe this is just an attempt to appeal to voters. White House officials say that law enforcement officials are increasingly seeing them at crime scenes due to how easy and cheap they are. The other order is aimed at evaluating research on carrying out effective and age-appropriate active shooter drills in schools that will not leave students traumatized. It tasks authorities with exploring different types of drills, determining an appropriate frequency for carrying them out, and researching the effects they have on both students and educators. Most states require their schools to carry out such drills despite the fact that some research has shown they are not only ineffective but can also be traumatic for students. Biden announced the orders at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on the first anniversary of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. It was also viewed as an opportunity for Vice President Kamala Harris to draw attention to gun violence prevention, which has become one of the issues she is campaigning on as she tries to win the presidency.

Americans’ Second Amendment rights are at stake

The executive director of NRA-ILA, Randy Kozuch, said that all this is just another attempt by the administration to “deflect attention from their soft-on-crime policies that have emboldened criminals in our country.” He noted: “The orders are notably heavy on election-year rhetoric and light on substance. It's no secret that Americans don't feel safe under the Biden-Harris Administration, as evidenced by the record number of firearms being purchased for the defense of self and family.” It is worth noting that the executive orders are not law, and Trump could reverse them if he takes office in keeping with his promise to continue to protect Americans’ Second Amendment rights. However, should Harris win the election, she has already announced her intention to further limit the rights of gun owners. Sources for this article include: BigLeaguePolitics.Substack.com Americas1stFreedom.org Reuters.com
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