Legislation Overview

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) has reintroduced bipartisan legislation, known as the Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act, aimed at prohibiting the sale of bump stocks and similar firearm modifications. These devices, which were used in the devastating mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip on October 1, 2017, have been criticized for allowing semi-automatic firearms to function like fully automatic weapons.

Context of the Legislation

The BUMP Act seeks to address the lapse in federal regulation following the Supreme Court’s recent decision that overturned a 2018 ban on bump stocks. This earlier prohibition had been enacted during the Trump administration in response to the Las Vegas shooting, which resulted in 58 deaths and hundreds of injuries, marking it as the deadliest mass shooting in recent U.S. history.

In its June 2024 ruling, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas, affirmed that a semiautomatic rifle with a bump stock does not meet the legal criteria for classification as a machine gun, since it requires a separate trigger pull for each shot, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Details of the BUMP Act

The proposed legislation not only aims to ban bump stocks but also intends to amend the Internal Revenue Code to include semi-automatic firearms under the regulations of the National Firearms Act. By doing so, the BUMP Act seeks to tighten oversight over devices that enhance the rate of fire of semi-automatic weapons.

Support from Advocacy Groups

Prominent advocacy organizations such as March For Our Lives, a student-led group campaigning for stricter gun control, have expressed strong support for the BUMP Act. They emphasize that the proliferation of weapons designed for military use and their accessories pose significant risks to public safety. “Young people across the country have made it clear: weapons of war and their deadly accessories have no place in our communities,” the organization stated.

House of Representatives Legislation

Concurrently, Representatives Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) have reintroduced related legislation in the House, titled the Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act. “Nearly eight years after the Harvest Festival massacre, we still do not have a federal law banning these deadly devices,” said Titus. “Bump stocks continue to pose a threat to innocent lives, and Congress must act.”

The Path Forward

With both the Senate and House efforts underway, the future of the BUMP Act remains uncertain amid differing views on gun control in Congress. As communities grapple with the aftermath of mass shootings, the push for stronger regulation of firearms, particularly devices that enable rapid-fire capabilities, continues to be a critical issue in American legislative discourse.