Democratic US Senators' bill to ban distribution of CAD files, "other code" used for 3D printing firearms

[DispositionMatrix]

3 initial sponsors and many co-sponsors.

"3D Printed Gun Safety Act of 2021"
https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/3d_printed_guns.pdf
https://archive.is/gcyHW

5 SEC. 3. PROHIBITION.
6 Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, is
7 amended by adding at the end the following:
8 ‘‘(aa) It shall be unlawful for any person to inten
9 tionally distribute, over the Internet or by means of the
10 World Wide Web, digital instructions in the form of Com
11 puter Aided Design files or other code that can automati
12 cally program a 3-dimensional printer or similar device to
13 produce a firearm or complete a firearm from an unfin
14 ished frame or receiver.’’.

SENATORS MARKEY AND MENENDEZ, AND REP. DEUTCH REINTRODUCE BAN ON 3D PRINTED GUNS

Washington (June 29, 2021) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), and Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22) today reintroduced the 3D Printed Gun Safety Act, legislation to prohibit the online distribution of blueprints and instructions that allow for the three dimensional (3D) printing of firearms.

“With no background check required, untraceable and undetectable 3D printed guns serve as the ultimate gun-acquisition loophole,” said Senator Markey. “With the click of a mouse, anyone can download a computer file and use a 3D printer to manufacture a semi-automatic weapon. We cannot allow the online availability of downloadable firearms to add fuel to the fire that already is a massive gun violence public safety crisis. I thank Senator Menendez and Congressman Deutch for their tremendous partnership on this legislation that will help close a major safety loophole.”

“With the click of a mouse, anyone with an internet connection and a 3D printer essentially has a license to print, shoot and kill,” said Senator Menendez. “Undetectable and untraceable 3D printed guns allow criminals to circumvent law enforcement and commit crimes. That’s why we must close the ‘3D Gun Loophole’ that allows dangerous individuals to exploit gaps in existing law to manufacture firearms at home they cannot otherwise legally obtain.”

This bill has been floated for the past few years.

 

[Dadstoys]

Closing the barn door after the horse is gone ?

 

[facecrime]

I have sudden interest in getting those CAD files, what do people use torrent?

 

[Brewer]

 

[Kevin_NH]

This is the same "3D Printed Gun Safety Act" Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.),submitted a couple years ago.

The proliferation of 3D-printed firearms 19 threatens to undermine the entire Federal firearms 20 regulatory scheme and to endanger public safety and national security. By making illegal the distribution of certain computer code that can be used automatically to program 3D printers and create firearms— the only means of combating this unique threat— Congress seeks not to regulate the rights of computer programmers under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, but rather curb the pernicious effects of untraceable—and potentially undetectable—firearms.
. . .
It shall be unlawful for any person to intentionally distribute, over the Internet or by means of the World Wide Web, digital instructions in the form of Computer Aided Design files or other code that can automatically program a 3-dimensional printer or similar device to produce a firearm or complete a firearm from an unfinished frame or receiver.

First amendment might have something to say about their ambitions towards censorship. You can't say "over the internet" and "automatically program" and magically 1A and 2A do not apply, see Bernstein v DOJ.

I have sudden interest in getting those CAD files, what do people use torrent?

Older files are on torrents, latest releases tend to show up on LBRY and private chat servers.

 

[bigbravehog]

aren't drugs banned in federal prisons ? how well is that enforced ?

 

[one-eyed Jack]

Democrats are just a huge pain in the ass. Jack

 

[fishgutzy]

Once again, they prove they don't know a damn thing about computers nor firearms.
No 3D printer can automatically print a functioning firearm.
One can print individual pieces. Not sure if there are 3D printer materials that can create a robust barrel.

 

[Mesatchornug]

Once again, they prove they don't know a damn thing about computers nor firearms.
No 3D printer can automatically print a functioning firearm.
One can print individual pieces. Not sure if there are 3D printer materials that can create a robust barrel.

define "robust"?

Cody's Liberator had a printed barrel. It was sufficient for one or two shots, just like its namesake. Meanwhile, IvanTheTroll has been working on methods for DIY etching rifling into pipes.

 

[DispositionMatrix]

This is the same "3D Printed Gun Safety Act" Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.),submitted a couple years ago.


First amendment might have something to say about their ambitions towards censorship. You can't say "over the internet" and "automatically program" and magically 1A and 2A do not apply.


Older files are on torrents, latest releases tend to show up on LBRY and private chat servers.

I'm sure SCOTUS would be happy to decline to hear that 1st amendment case a few years after it was enacted and some case law was stacked atop it.

Rulers never will stop the flow of information, of course, with such an idiotic law, but that idiotic law would be excellent cover for some roid-rage-motivated door-kicking by agents of the state--to save the children from CAD files. The law would afford an opportunity for members of one party to put more people not in that party in prison.

 

[Kevin_NH]

Once again, they prove they don't know a damn thing about computers nor firearms.
No 3D printer can automatically print a functioning firearm. One can print individual pieces. Not sure if there are 3D printer materials that can create a robust barrel.

Correct. There are CNC machines which can output 95% of the parts needed for a functional firearm, just need to add springs and assemble.

define "robust"? Cody's Liberator had a printed barrel. It was sufficient for one or two shots, just like its namesake. Meanwhile, IvanTheTroll has been working on methods for DIY etching rifling into pipes.

While consumer additive manufacturing cannot create a robust barrel, back in 2017 various folk started to recognize that generic filament printers could create a mandrel which can etch rifling into commonly available steel tubing.

GFEN ran a match featuring all "home produced" firearms about a week ago

 

[Chevy 2 65]

Democrats are just a huge pain in the ass. Jack

no they are the ass

 

[Chevy 2 65]

I'm sure SCOTUS would be happy to decline to hear that 1st amendment case a few years after it was enacted and some case law was stacked atop it.

Rulers never will stop the flow of information, of course, with such an idiotic law, but that idiotic law would be excellent cover for some roid-rage-motivated door-kicking by agents of the state--to save the children from CAD files. The law would afford an opportunity for members of one party to put more people not in that party in prison.

SCOTUS is a joke. They do not follow the COTUS. They had their chance in 2008 to kill all the BS about guns and failed.

 

[DispositionMatrix]

For many of you, here is your beloved Senator Markey on the bill:

View: https://twitter.com/SenMarkey/status/1409936073359245312

 

[Picton]

LOL.

100% of the time any free-ish government tries to restrict the flow of knowledge or information, it backfires and creates even more of that knowledge and information.

By all means, Senators. Go for it!

 

[deerdad]

Why can't these sub humans just take a lead sleeping pill and leave everyone alone?

 

[rivet_42]

Code is speech. I foresee a resurgence of those t-shirts that say "This shirt is a munition." Remember those, when they had the source code for PGP printed on them?

 

[paul73]

LOL.

100% of the time any free-ish government tries to restrict the flow of knowledge or information, it backfires and creates even more of that knowledge and information.

By all means, Senators. Go for it!

well... the issue here is that they will, well, 'go for it' - and they will go straight to NSA as to find those dangerous 3D charts printers - you would need to allow protocol level sniffing to see what gets passed over the wires. it is a very doable job but not yet 100% legal for the government to do, against the WHOLE population.

but if they will open a door for that, based on the 'cuz gunz' premise - the torrents will follow and all the rest that can be potentially prosecutable, like this outrageous hate speech that i am typing right here.
so, unfortunately, all that little non-sense shit dear mr.markey and Co are doing has potential implications.

 

[Picton]

well... the issue here is that they will, well, 'go for it' - and they will go straight to NSA as to find those dangerous 3D charts printers - you would need to allow protocol level sniffing to see what gets passed over the wires.
very doable but not yet 1005 legal for the government to do, against the WHOLE population.

but if they will open a door for that, based on the 'cuz gunz' premise - the torrents will follow and all the rest that can be potentially prosecutable, like this outrageous hate speech that i am typing right here.
so, unfortunately, all that little non-sense shit dear mr.markey and Co are doing has potential implications.

I'm not saying there won't be hiccups on the road. But every time the government tries to prevent people from doing something they want to do, it always fails. See: drugs. Prohibition. Alien and Sedition Acts.

This will fail too, ultimately. People will be jailed, but the information will find its way to the people willing to use it.

 

[StevieP]

So you can SMS them though...?

It shall be unlawful for any person to intentionally distribute, over the Internet or by means of the World Wide Web, digital instructions in the form of... /QUOTE]

 

[paul73]

I'm not saying there won't be hiccups on the road. But every time the government tries to prevent people from doing something they want to do, it always fails. See: drugs. Prohibition. Alien and Sedition Acts.
This will fail too, ultimately.

potentially, yes, but ,they were looking for a long while now to find a way how to cease all the encrypted communications over the internet.
i guess we will see. i personally do not think any of this stupidity markey posted will go beyond an initial PR stage.

yet - china already did it. russia almost did it - a lot of (shitty) countries are trying to do it. no one wants to keep a freedom of communication for citizens if government can enforce a control over the content and spread of messaging.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Once again, they prove they don't know a damn thing about computers nor firearms.
No 3D printer can automatically print a functioning firearm.
One can print individual pieces. Not sure if there are 3D printer materials that can create a robust barrel.

To produce a firearm from an unfinished receiver? I guess producing unfinished receivers is OK then.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

yet - china already did it. russia almost did it - a lot of (shitty) countries are trying to do it. no one wants to keep a freedom of communication for citizens if government can enforce a control over the content and spread of messaging.

The government signaled its intention with the ill-fated Clipper Chip proposal. The big thing they learned was that overt holding of a master key to private crypto was not going to fly. When the feds were asked what "other lawful authority" they stated the govt held keys could be only accessed via "warrant or other lawful authority", they refused to answer.

 

[Chevy 2 65]

For many of you, here is your beloved Senator Markey on the bill:

View: https://twitter.com/SenMarkey/status/1409936073359245312

Ed is a scumbag. He is Anti American anti freedom, and libertiy. Spineless oath breaker.

 

[rudiewhitebwoy]

Why can't these sub humans just take a lead sleeping pill and leave everyone alone?

That would be "Gun Violence", they don't believe in that.
They should just hang themselves. Oh, the would be "Rope Violence".
They could jump off of a building. But that would be "Asphalt Violence".
I guess the last two could also be construed as "Gravity Violence".
They could just over dose. I guess that would be "Narcotic Violence".

 

[paul73]

Ed is a scumbag. He is Anti American anti freedom, and libertiy. Spineless oath breaker.

He is a dangerous scumbag as after sitting in senate for eternity he now feels challenged and trying to get in bed with the squad and other extremities. I can only hope none of his shit will ever move anywhere.

 

[Reptile]

This will only heighten interest in guns.

I saw go for it.

The new files will end up on torrents sooner than expected.

People will just end up getting into 3D printing because it's forbidden.

 

[Picton]

This will only heighten interest in guns.

I saw go for it.

The new files will end up on torrents sooner than expected.

People will just end up getting into 3D printing because it's forbidden.

Reptile gets it.

Just like the AWB: AR sales had languished for thirty years before the .gov said "you cain't have it!" Look what happened.

 

[paul73]

Reptile gets it.

Just like the AWB: AR sales had languished for thirty years before the .gov said "you cain't have it!" Look what happened.

Well, I frankly forgot- was a full auto ban in the same AWB law, or separate?
No one would be getting a semi auto clone if you could legally own an original full auto weapon.

 

[Picton]

Well, I frankly forgot- was a full auto ban in the same AWB law, or separate?
No one would be getting a semi auto clone if you could legally own an original full auto weapon.

No, MGs were never all that popular, especially after Reagan started controlling them in 1986: prices on those were always quite high IIRC. Sales of things like the SP1 had always been sluggish and AK batches came dribbling in and sold slowly.

Then? Clinton announced his intention to ban them. And WHOOF! demand took off. When the law was passed, manufacturers asked for a six-month moratorium so they could "retool," but instead they just ramped up production and sold guns by the bushel basket. Because "they're about to be banned!!!!" There'd been an importation ban in there someplace, too.

Such a backfire for the .gov. Then the market only grew during the Ban, and by the time it sunsetted a whole new generation of owners was chomping at the bit to get into AR ownership.