Rep. Dan Goldman’s Statement on the Trump Administration Effectively Legalizing Machine Guns Nationwide

“Nearly 40 years ago, Congress passed a federal ban on the sale of machine guns, recognizing that the risk these weapons of war pose to our communities is unacceptably high. Last Friday, the Trump administration effectively lifted that ban and legalized machine guns across the United States.  

  

“By allowing the sale and civilian use of Forced Trigger Resets (FTR), Donald Trump has given any gun-owner the ability to turn their AR-15 into a fully automatic weapon capable of firing 400 rounds a minute.  

  

“Machine guns are designed for free-fire military combat zones, not for streets, schools, and communities across America. Unleashing them on our communities will supercharge an already devastating gun violence crisis.  

  

“Approximately 125 Americans will be killed by guns today, and 12 of them will be children. It is every elected official’s duty to work to reduce that number and keep their communities safe, not further endanger the American people out of fealty to gun manufacturers seeking to drive up profits at the public’s expense.  

  

“I call on so-called moderate Republicans to finally put commonsense gun safety legislation on the floor. Do not sit idly by while your president endangers the American people you swore an oath to protect.”