In keeping with President Biden’s promise to update Federal Gun Regulations, the Justice Department issued a new rule-making proposal to update regulations on ghost guns. Ghost guns are firearms that are sold as kits online, but do not have serial numbers and must be assembled by the purchaser. They are regularly purchased by anti-government conspiracy theorists, as well as those who cannot legally purchase firearms because they have been convicted of felony DWI, are registered sex offenders or have been convicted of a crime like felony stalking or domestic violence.
The Justice Department press release states: “The proposed rule would modernize the definition of “frame or receiver” and help close a regulatory loophole associated with the un-serialized privately made firearms that are increasingly being recovered at crime scenes across the country. These unmarked firearms, known as “ghost guns,” are often assembled from kits that are sold without background checks, making them easily acquired by criminals who otherwise would not be permitted to possess a firearm.”
“We are committed to taking commonsense steps to address the epidemic of gun violence that takes the lives of too many people in our communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Criminals and others barred from owning a gun should not be able to exploit a loophole to evade background checks and to escape detection by law enforcement. This proposed rule would help keep guns out of the wrong hands and make it easier for law enforcement to trace guns used to commit violent crimes, while protecting the rights of law-abiding Americans. Although this rulemaking will solve only one aspect of the problem, we have an obligation to do our part to keep our families and our neighborhoods safe from gun violence.”
The new rule-making process is expected to run into stiff Congressional opposition from suspected sex traffickers like Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz; individuals who have been arrested repeatedly for harassment, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest like Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, and individuals who have reason to believe they are under Federal Investigation for coordinating terrorist attacks on the US Government like Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs.