WASHINGTON, May 3, 2024 – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently released data indicating how many firearms were apprehended at airport security checkpoints. In the first quarter of 2024, more than 1,500 firearms were intercepted by agents before they could be taken onto aircraft, nearly 1400 of which were loaded. The data comes a few short weeks after the Undetectable Firearms Act was saved from expiration by a bipartisan, bicameral coalition in Congress, led by Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Madeleine Dean (D-PA), as well as Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Had the Undetectable Firearms Act been allowed to expire, it would have been legal to manufacture firearms that could evade all common security measures, such as metal detectors and x-ray machines, making it impossible for law enforcement and security officers to protect concert venues, stadiums, airports, and public events.
When the Undetectable Firearms Act was signed into law in 1988, no such firearms existed. Today, advancements in plastics, polymers, and 3D printing technology have created a real threat that such firearms could become prevalent if this law had been allowed to expire. Last year, an individual was convicted when it was found they were manufacturing fully functional plastic firearms that for the first time were able to evade TSA metal detectors.
Brady, the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention group, was joined by major entertainment groups, sports leagues, and law enforcement groups to work with lawmakers to successfully reauthorize the law.
Kris Brown, President of Brady, said:
“If TSA reported nearly 17 firearms a day being stopped at security checkpoints, imagine how many more firearms would not have been stopped if undetectable firearms were legal. Fully plastic, undetectable firearms serve no lawful purpose in America and are ideal weapons for those who seek to cause harm because they can skirt past the measures put in place to prevent mass shootings and even terrorist attacks.
“We at Brady are thankful to have worked alongside lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to ensure that all Americans are now safer whether they’re embarking on a flight, headed to a concert, or attending a sporting event. We are especially grateful to Representatives Mike Lawler, and Madeleine Dean, as well as Senators Jack Reed, Chuck Grassley, and Chuck Schumer for shepherding reauthorization of this law."
Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.
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