Dems move to ban plastic guns
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By Tim Devaney - 06/08/15 03:52 PM EDT
Congressional Democrats are proposing to ban plastic guns, following reports of major security lapses at the nation’s airports
Plastic guns can be even more dangerous than traditional firearms because they're harder to detect, says Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.).
The Undetectable Firearms Modernization Act, backed by Israel and several other Democrats, would prohibit the manufacture of entirely plastic guns. The legislation would require a major component of every gun to contain enough traces of metal to be detected.
Israel plans to unveil the legislation Tuesday during a press conference at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, where he will draw a connection between his bill and recent high-profile airport security lapses.
"If detectable weapons can make it through security checkpoints, how can we expect to catch wrongdoers carrying undetectable plastic firearms?" Israel told The Hill. “What could be worse than a gun that can be used on an airplane, but cannot be detected on the security line because it’s plastic?”
"It’s time to modernize our airport security so the American people can count on it," he added.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) failed a recent sting operation in which undercover agents sneaked fake explosives and weapons through airport security in 67 out of 70 tests, or about 95 percent of the time.
Many of America’s busiest airports failed the tests.
In one test, a federal agent was able to sneak a fake bomb that was strapped to his back through security, even after he was subjected to a pat-down.
The massive security failure led to the ouster last week of TSA acting administrator Melvin Carraway.
In light of the TSA security lapses, Israel and other Democrats say it is even more important to ban plastic guns.
Current law prohibits plastic guns, but gun owners can get around the requirements by including a detachable strip of metal on an otherwise plastic gun.
Criminals can then remove that piece of metal when they go through security.
To combat this problem, Israel’s legislation would mandate that a major component of each gun be made of metal and that the weapon would be inoperable without that component.
Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) are also working on similar legislation to prohibit plastic guns, which could be introduced in the coming months.
While Republicans support the existing ban on plastic guns, most are opposed to expanding the law in the way that Israel is proposing.
http://thehill.com/regulation/legislation/244319-dems-move-to-ban-plastic-guns
Plastic guns can be even more dangerous than traditional firearms because they're harder to detect, says Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.).
The Undetectable Firearms Modernization Act, backed by Israel and several other Democrats, would prohibit the manufacture of entirely plastic guns. The legislation would require a major component of every gun to contain enough traces of metal to be detected.
Israel plans to unveil the legislation Tuesday during a press conference at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, where he will draw a connection between his bill and recent high-profile airport security lapses.
"If detectable weapons can make it through security checkpoints, how can we expect to catch wrongdoers carrying undetectable plastic firearms?" Israel told The Hill. “What could be worse than a gun that can be used on an airplane, but cannot be detected on the security line because it’s plastic?”
"It’s time to modernize our airport security so the American people can count on it," he added.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) failed a recent sting operation in which undercover agents sneaked fake explosives and weapons through airport security in 67 out of 70 tests, or about 95 percent of the time.
Many of America’s busiest airports failed the tests.
In one test, a federal agent was able to sneak a fake bomb that was strapped to his back through security, even after he was subjected to a pat-down.
The massive security failure led to the ouster last week of TSA acting administrator Melvin Carraway.
In light of the TSA security lapses, Israel and other Democrats say it is even more important to ban plastic guns.
“The fact is, we should be making it easier, not harder for TSA to stop dangerous weapons from getting onto our planes,” Israel said.
“What angers me, and frankly what frightens me, is that the guns that were getting passed the TSA agents were highly detectable,” he added. “But a plastic gun couldn’t be picked up by the most astute and trained TSA agent.”
Plastic guns have been made popular by 3D printers that make it easier for consumers to build their own firearms.
While the legislation would still allow manufacturers to build partially plastic guns, it would close a loophole that allows people to build guns that can evade security.Current law prohibits plastic guns, but gun owners can get around the requirements by including a detachable strip of metal on an otherwise plastic gun.
Criminals can then remove that piece of metal when they go through security.
To combat this problem, Israel’s legislation would mandate that a major component of each gun be made of metal and that the weapon would be inoperable without that component.
“Plastic guns are real, they can be fired, they can kill someone, and there’s nothing we can do to stop them from going right through the airport security line because they are undetectable,” Israel warned.
The legislation was previously introduced in 2013. Last time around, it was supported by Reps. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.), Jim Himes (D-Conn.), Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) and Pete King (R-N.Y.).Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) are also working on similar legislation to prohibit plastic guns, which could be introduced in the coming months.
While Republicans support the existing ban on plastic guns, most are opposed to expanding the law in the way that Israel is proposing.
http://thehill.com/regulation/legislation/244319-dems-move-to-ban-plastic-guns
Now they will use this to go after black powder guns also
Prosecutor: Target parking lot slaying suspect skirted gun laws
A man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend in a Target parking lot in Montgomery County used an antique-style, black-powder pistol because his record as a sex offender barred him from buying a regular firearm, a prosecutor said in court Friday.“He sought this gun out,” Assistant State’s Attorney Debbie Feinstein said.
The suspect, Donald W. Bricker, 27, of Hagerstown, ordered the handgun online, and it arrived in the mail Monday morning, Feinstein said. He practiced at least one shot at home, and later on Monday drove to Germantown to meet with his ex-girlfriend, Mariam “Shadé” Adebayo, Feinstein said.
Adebayo, 24, had agreed to meet with him in a public place, her friends and officials said.
Bricker started fighting with Adebayo inside her car, prompting Adebayo to get out and try to get away. Bricker shot her twice, fled in his pickup truck and was captured a short time later, police said.
Feinstein argued that he should not be given a bond, saying that Bricker was a danger if released.
She told District Judge John C. Moffett that Bricker shot Adebayo once and kept going.
“After he shot her the first time, she went down to the ground, and then he approached her and shot her again,” Feinstein said.
The prosecutor said that, in two interviews with detectives, Bricker admitted to shooting Adebayo and that the killing also was captured on video surveillance recordings.
Aubrey Dillon, an attorney who represented Bricker in court Friday, did not specifically address the case against Bricker.
But he asked Moffett to set a bond that conceivably could allow Bricker to be released pending further proceedings.
“It’s something that he really likes,” Dillon said. “He likes working with his hands and then seeing the finished results.”
Moffett declined to set a bond.
Court records show Bricker pleaded guilty to a third-degree sex offense charge in 2009.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/montgomery-prosecutor-target-parking-lot-killer-skirted-gun-laws/2015/06/05/e44065aa-0bb5-11e5-a7ad-b430fc1d3f5c_story.html
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