Senators Carper, Coons join colleagues in sponsoring new legislation to outlaw deadly bump stocks

WILMINGTON, Del. - U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) joined over two dozen senators in cosponsoring the Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act, led by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). In the wake of this month's ruling by the Supreme Court overturning an executive branch rule banning bump stocks, the BUMP Act would statutorily ban the sale of these deadly devices that allow semiautomatic weapons to rapidly fire multiple rounds like machine guns, and in turn, inflict the highest number of casualties in the shortest amount of time.

Bump stocks were previously banned by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in 2018 following their use in a mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed 60 people and wounded more than 400, the deadliest mass shooting in American history. However, the Supreme Court invalidated the ATF's regulatory ban on bump stocks with its ruling in Garland v. Cargill, holding that only Congress can create a federal ban on bump stocks through legislation. Immediately following the Supreme Court's decision, President Biden called on Congress to pass legislation banning bump stocks, stating that he would immediately sign it into law.

"As Justice Sotomayor wrote in her dissenting opinion, the Supreme Court's recent decision allowing bump stocks back into our communities could have deadly consequences. That's why I'm proud to co-sponsor the BUMP Act, which would ban bump stocks and ensure these dangerous weapons are taken off our streets," said Senator Carper. "Too many Delawareans know the pain of losing a loved one to gun violence, and make no mistake: I will never stop fighting to end America's gun violence epidemic. I urge my colleagues in Congress to support this life-saving legislation and promptly pass it into law."

"It's simple: the longer the Supreme Court's decision reversing the ban on bump stocks is allowed to remain the law of the land, the more likely it is that Americans will die in horrific acts of mass violence," said Senator Coons. "Congress needs to act immediately to reinstate the bump stock ban and keep these dangerous weapons off of our nation's streets. I'm proud to cosponsor the BUMP Act, and I urge Congress to swiftly take up this bill to reverse the Court's misinterpretation of our laws."

In addition to Carper and Coons, the new cosponsors of the BUMP Act are Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai'i), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i). The bill was originally cosponsored by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.).

The BUMP Act has been endorsed by numerous gun safety organizations, including Everytown for Gun Safety, GIFFORDS, Brady, March for Our Lives, Newtown Action Alliance, March Fourth, Violence Policy Center, and New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence.

U.S. Representative Dina Titus (D-Nev.) has introduced bipartisan companion legislation in the House. There are 145 total cosponsors of Titus's bill in the House.

The full text of the BUMP Act is available here.

A fact sheet is available here.