REP. DUNCAN INTRODUCES BILL TO PROTECT THE MAILING OF FIREARMS

Washington, D.C. — To ensure gun owners and the firearms industry have access to delivery services through the United States Postal Service (USPS), which enables us to exercise our right to keep and bear arms, Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) introduced the “Protecting the Mailing of Firearms Act” and issued the following statement:

“Common carriers and commercial airlines safely transport handguns and ammunition every day, and USPS already permits the mailing of shotguns and rifles,” said Congressman Jeff Duncan. “It’s past time that we repeal the arbitrary prohibition on the mailing of handguns and ammunition through the USPS.”

“The ‘Protecting the Mailing of Firearms Act’ ensures law-abiding gun owners as well as the firearm industry have access to delivery services and will prevent an anti-gun administration from weaponizing USPS against our Second Amendment right.”

Background:

Under current federal law, it is perfectly legal to ship a firearm of any kind as well as ammunition via a common carrier. It is also legal to mail a long gun (i.e. shotguns and rifles) via the US Postal Service. However, federal statutes and regulations arbitrarily prohibit the mailing of concealable firearms (i.e. handguns, suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns) and ammunition via the US Postal Service. Mailing a handgun is no more hazardous than mailing a long gun, and common carriers ship billions of rounds of ammunition every year without issue. In fact, individuals are even able to bring firearms of any kind as well as ammunition onto commercial flights in accordance with TSA procedures.

The prohibition on the mailing of concealable firearms dates back to the 1920s and 1930s. The end goal back then, as it is today, was to ban undesirable firearms, which at the time were handguns rather than “assault weapons.” The Member of Congress that introduced the legislation believed the ability to mail a handgun would undermine a state’s ability to prohibit the purchase or possession of firearms they deemed “dangerous.” The National Firearms Act followed shortly after. This statute has been used by anti-gun advocates to justify state and local gun control like in the attached Amicus Brief for McDonald v Chicago. It is time to roll back this outdated law that only serves to inconvenience our ability to exercise our right to bear arms.

Quotes:

“The NRA applauds Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-03) for introducing the ‘Protecting the Mailing of Firearms Act,’ which will ensure a legal avenue for law-abiding gun owners to ship their firearms,” said Randy Kozuch, Executive Director of NRA-ILA. “The legislation not only repeals the U.S Postal Service statutory prohibition on mailing handguns, but it also strengthens the protections to ensure law-abiding gun owners can ship firearms, ammunition and components without bureaucratic interference.”

“The ability to ship a handgun through the U.S. Postal Service is critically important to the firearm industry and this legislation to remove archaic restrictions, while maintaining safeguards for firearm security, is the right legislation at the right time,” said Lawrence Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President & General Counsel. Handguns are overwhelmingly the most popular-selling firearms in America. The transfer of handguns is more restrictive than that for rifles and shotguns, which are not subject to the same U.S. Postal Service restrictions. Congressman Jeff Duncan’s legislation would remove these antiquated barriers while maintaining the same security safeguards as required by other firearms for shipment. The firearm industry is grateful for Representative Duncan’s leadership to bring our laws into the 21st Century.”

The legislation was co-sponsored by 42 Members of the House. Cosponsors include Reps. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) , Tom McClintock (R-CA), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Matt Rosendale (R-MT), Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Lance Gooden (R-TX), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Michael Guest (R-MS), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Jim Baird (R-IN), Mary Miller (R-IL), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Alex Mooney (R-WV), Barry Moore (R-AL), Ben Cline (R-VA), Randy Weber (R-TX), Kat Cammack (R-FL), Bob Good (R-VA), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Mike Collins (R-GA), Ralph Norman (R-SC), William Timmons (R-SC), Nick Langworthy (R-NY), Roger Williams (R-TX), August Pfluger (R-TX), Russell Fry (R-SC), Buddy Carter (R-GA), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Keith Self (R-PA), Don Bacon (R-NE), Andy Ogles (R-TN), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), John Rose (R-TN), Brandon Williams (R-NY), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), and Richard Hudson (R-NC).