WASHINGTON, D.C. – Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine joined 21 other senators in introducing a bill Tuesday against 3D-printed guns.
The legislation, titled the 3D Printed Gun Safety Act, would attempt to block the online publication of blueprints that could be used to make a fully functioning gun using a 3D printer.
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“Our nation knows too well the pain of senseless gun violence. The last thing we need is another easy way for lethal weapons to get into the wrong hands, and Congress should act quickly to prevent that from happening,” said Kaine.
The bill Kaine and his colleagues introduced would make it illegal for anyone to intentionally publish a blueprint for a 3D-printed gun. This comes just hours before President Trump plans to allow people to start posting these blueprints online, according to Kaine's office.
Starting Wednesday, people will now be able to post blueprints for 3D-printed guns, after the Department of Justice settled a lawsuit earlier this month.
In response to the recent 3D gun controversy, the National Rifle Association released a statement on Tuesday night.
“Many anti-gun politicians and members of the media have wrongly claimed that 3D printing technology will allow for the production and widespread proliferation of undetectable plastic firearms," said Chris Cox, executive director of NRA Institute for Legislative Action.
"Regardless of what a person may be able to publish on the Internet, undetectable plastic guns have been illegal for 30 years," said Cox. "Federal law passed in 1988, crafted with the NRA’s support, makes it unlawful to manufacture, import, sell, ship, deliver, possess, transfer, or receive an undetectable firearm.”