Congressman Dan Goldman Calls For an End to the Bump Stock Loophole

‘Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2023’ to Outlaw Deadly Firearm Accessory Used to Kill 58 People in Las Vegas

New York, NY – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) today announced he is cosponsoring the legislation to close the bump stock loophole once and for all. The Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2023 would make it illegal to manufacture, sell, or possess bump stocks for civilian use. A bump stock is a firearm modification that enable shooters to fire semiautomatic rifles continuously with one pull of the trigger, similar to a fully automatic weapon. A bump stock modification was used in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting to kill 58 people and injure hundreds more.
 
“In 2017, the deadliest mass shooting in our nation’s history was carried out with the help of a bump stock firearm modification,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “This deadly and inexplicable loophole in our firearm laws allows what are effectively machine guns to flood our streets with no legitimate purpose. As a Vice Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I will continue to push for different ways to protect our communities and families from the epidemic of gun violence in this country.”
 
Following the ban on owning automatic firearms and machine guns, bump stocks and other supplemental devices that replicate automatic fire gained prominence throughout the country. In 2018, after the tragic 2017 Las Vegas shooting, a Republican-led Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) banned bump stocks beginning in March of 2019. However, uncertainty looms over the illegality of these devices remains as the ATF ban was struck down by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals this year.  
 
The Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act would codify the ATF rule and regulate bump stocks in the same manner as military style machine guns. This legislation would also limit the ability of gun manufacturers to create new devices that increase the rate of fire to those similar to machine guns.  
 
Public opinion polls show that eight in ten Americans favor a ban on modification devices like bump stocks.  
 
Combating gun violence and holding gun manufacturers accountable was a centerpiece of Congressman Goldman’s campaign and he continues to deliver for New Yorkers on the issue. Last month, the Congressman cosponsored a package of gun violence prevention legislation including an assault weapons ban, a bipartisan bill to require background checks for all firearm sales, and Ethan’s Law to require safe firearm storage to protect children and others from unsecured firearms.  
 
Congressman Goldman is a Vice Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

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